Unwrapping Life
by AnastaziaDanielle
Summary: We all wondered what happened to Priestly and Tish after the end of the movie. This is our idea of how the first few dates went. Poor Priestly... Co-written with LadyWallace
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Ten Inch Hero does not belong to us.

Unwrapping Life - Cowritten with LadyWallace

Chapter 1 – By AnastaziaDanielle

The day was warm and sunny, perfect beach weather. Priestly shoved his hands into the pockets of his long, black shorts and dug around for his car keys, surfboard securely attacked to the top of his truck. It was time to catch some waves and do some reflecting on last night's date with Tish – their first date. After locating the keys, Priestly climbed into his truck and ran his fingers through his short, light brown hair. It still felt odd as the shorter strands ran between his fingers, but Tish had seemed to like his natural look.

He bit back a sigh and aimed his truck for the beach as his mind wandered over last night's dinner date at Tish's favorite Italian restaurant. He had dressed in his Banana Republic clothing and carefully groomed his hair. Priestly had felt butterflies nervously swarming in his stomach as he pulled up in front of Tish's apartment. He felt naked without his mohawk, eyeliner, and funky t-shirts.

 _The Previous Night_

Tish invited him in when he knocked on her door, her long hair hanging down over her shoulders and her lips bright with lipstick. A tiny tan skirt hugged her curves and a white tank top showed just the right amount of cleavage. Priestly's mouth was dry, and he found it difficult to swallow.

"I'm almost ready," Tish said with a smile, her heart thudding in her chest at the besotted look on Priestly's face. "Have a seat." She gestured to an over-stuffed cream-colored loveseat.

Priestly shoved his hands into his pockets anxiously. He was too on edge to sit still. "Nah, I'm okay," he managed, wincing as his voice sounded a bit breathless.

Tish bit back a frown at his nervousness. Yes, he had been quite anxious when asking her out on a date in front of their friends, but she had assumed that he would be "Priestly" once it was just the two of them together.

It only took her a few minutes to finish getting ready. Priestly seemed relieved as they headed outside into the cool night air. A smile curved Tish's lips when Priestly held the car door open for her and then shut it behind her. It had been a long time since any man had treated her like a lady. "So where are we going to eat?" she asked once her date was settled behind the wheel.

"I thought maybe we could go to that Italian place you're always talking about," Priestly replied as he glanced over at Tish. "Is that all right? We can go somewhere else if you'd rather."

"Priestly, the Italian place is fine," she smiled. He was adorable with those big green eyes and pinched expression, but she missed the confident, sarcastic Priestly. "If it's too expensive we can go somewhere else," she added.

"No, no, it's okay," Priestly quickly reassured her. His stomach was still tumbling nervously as he tried to make conversation. "I like Italian."

There was an awkward silence before Tish finally looked at him and quirked an eyebrow. "Priestly, are you all right?"

He swallowed hard. "Yeah, I'm fine, Tish."

She shrugged a shoulder. "You just seem different, that's all."

He huffed a choked laugh. "I'm a little nervous here," he admitted as his cheeks turned pink.

Tish grinned. Yup, he was totally adorable. "You're doing fine," she assured him.

The rest of the date passed in much the same manner. Priestly was still nervous and awkward no matter how hard Tish tried to put him at ease. As they left the restaurant, though, she slid her hand into his. He had insisted on paying for her dinner and then held the door open for her as they left. The gestures warmed her heart. Tish gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"It's a beautiful night," she said softly. "Think we could go for a walk on the beach?"

"Yeah, sure," Priestly replied, worried because his palm was sweaty. He led the way to the boardwalk and watched as Tish slipped off her shoes. He did the same with his free hand because Tish seemed intent on not letting go of him.

With a gentle tug, she pulled him out onto the sand and to the edge of the waves crashing against the shore. The salty smell of the ocean permeated the air and Tish breathed in deeply. Her arm brushed against Priestly's and she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Tonight was nice," she sighed, her dark hair brushing against Priestly's jaw when he turned his head. She wasn't sure, but she thought maybe he pressed a kiss into her hair.

"Yeah, it was," Priestly managed, his mouth suddenly dry. "Do you think…uh….maybe…. we could do this again soon?" The last words came out in a rush, and he hoped Tish would be able to understand what he said because he wasn't sure he could get them out again. His nerves were on edge, and the Banana Republic dress shirt felt too tight and restrictive. He longed for one of his comfortable tees with a sarcastic slogan, but Tish was worth dressing up for.

"I would like that," Tish replied as she smiled up at the green-eyed man beside her. "What did you have in mind?"

Priestly thought for a moment. "What would you like to do? You pick," he finally told the beautiful woman leaning against his shoulder as they walked in the edge of the water with the waves lapping their ankles.

"Surprise me," Tish grinned as she pulled her hand away from his, tossed her shoes up the beach into the sand, and ran forward into the water. "Come on, Priestly! The water's perfect!"

Priestly looked down at his clothes. This was the only pair of good pants he had, and he would need them to wear on his next date with Tish.

"Priestly, come on!" she shouted again.

He deposited his shoes next to hers on the beach and bent over to roll up his pants legs. He managed to get them just below his knee, but that's as high as they would go. He'd have to do a load of laundry in the morning.

Turning toward the water, he jogged into the waves.

"Isn't this great?" Tish squealed as she splashed him happily.

She looked so beautiful in the moonlight that Priestly's breath caught in his throat. He stepped forward and placed his hands on her waist. Tish's hands immediately came to rest against his chest as the water swirled around their legs.

"Priestly," she murmured, just before he brought his lips down to meet hers.

There was nothing awkward about their kiss. Tish sucked on his bottom lip and Priestly opened his mouth, granting her entrance. She deepened the kiss as he pulled her closer, her body flush against his. Tish's fingers moved up Priestly's back to run through his now-shorter hair which was soft to the touch.

Priestly pulled back as a moan escaped his lips. "Okay," he panted. "This is too fast."

Tish tipped her forehead against his. "Are you all right?" she asked as her hands cupped his face.

"Yeah," he murmured, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. "I just… I don't want to move to fast and mess this up."

Tish sighed against his mouth before reaching for his hand and tugging him out of the waves. "Then maybe treat a girl to a walk on the beach in the moonlight, Renaissance Man," she grinned sassily.

Priestly sighed with relief when Tish didn't argue with him. "I think I can handle that," he smiled as he led the beautiful woman beside him down the beach as the waves broke around their ankles.

 _End Flashback_

Priestly sighed at the memory of Tish's heated kisses as he found a spot to park his truck close to the beach. He had to figure out something to do on his second date with Tish. Grabbing his surfboard, he headed toward the sand and the promise of catching some waves. A sign that he had looked at hundreds of times before stopped him in his tracks today. "Horseback riding, Jet Skiing, Parasailing," he murmured, looking in the direction the arrow on the sign pointed.

His brow furrowed in thought as he continued his way down to the water. Would Tish like to do anything of those things or would she prefer a movie or maybe a concert? A heavy sigh escaped Priestly's lips as he splashed into the water, climbed onto his board, and began paddling out to catch a wave.

He was no closer to an answer when he emerged from the water an hour later. He headed home to shower and get ready for work. It didn't take him long to shower, but selecting his clothes took too long and nearly made him late for work.

His khaki pants and dress shirt weren't dry after he washed them early this morning. With a frustrated sigh, he rooted around in his closet and found the most "normal" pair of jeans he had and a plain black v-neck t-shirt he'd bought the other day. He grimaced at his reflection when he looked in the mirror. He missed his mohawk, piercings, and eyeliner. He didn't feel like Priestly without them.

He scurried out of the door and drove as fast as he dared to work. He parked his truck next to Jen's car and grinned when he saw her just shutting the car door behind her. Maybe she could help him figure out his date with Tish.

"Hey, Jen!" he called as he hopped out of his truck and slammed the door. "How's Fuzzy?"

A blush lit her cheeks and she smiled shyly. "He's great," she answered. "He's driving up tomorrow night so we can go to a concert."

Priestly grinned. This was the perfect opening. "So, I was hoping you could help me figure out where to take Tish on our second date."

Priestly nearly groaned as Jen's face lit up. "How did things go last night?" she asked eagerly.

The green-eyed young man rubbed a hand anxiously through his hair. "I don't know, Jen," he answered honestly. "I think she had a good time – at least I hope she did."

Jen linked her arm through his. "Trucker isn't here yet, so why don't we sit down so you can tell me what's up."

Priestly sank down on the back step next to his friend, glad for Jen's willingness to listen.

To be continued…

Please take the time to review. Chapter 2 written by LadyWallace will be posted soon.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: We do not own Ten Inch Hero, but we think Priestly is adorable!

Unwrapping Life

Chapter Two (Written by LadyWallace)

"I'm just not sure what she'd like to do," Priestly admitted as he and Jen started setting up the Grill for the day.

"You said she had a good time last night, right?" Jen asked him, glancing up from the table she was cleaning.

"Yeah," Priestly shrugged. "I guess I'm just worried that she'll get bored. That I'm not…interesting enough."

Jen laughed at that. "Priestly, you're plenty interesting, trust me."

"Well, I used to be, when I had funky hair and metal in my face," he said a bit wryly.

"Is that what this is really about?" Jen asked quietly, heading over to the counter where Priestly was counting out the till for the day.

Priestly shrugged her off. "No, it's just…"

"Come on," Jen put her hands on her hips. "We've been friends for too long, I know when you're lying to me, and I know when you're feeling off, and you are certainly not as happy as you should be for finally getting the girl you've been eyeing ever since she started working here."

Priestly sighed, slamming the register drawer shut. "Alright, maybe it is a little about that. I guess I just don't feel like me anymore. I mean, am I being a total hypocrite?"

"Maybe a little after your whole 'looks don't matter' speech," Jen said honestly. "Did you ever think to ask Tish if she liked your new look?"

Priestly shuffled uncomfortably. "No, I just…I figured this was what she wanted, you know? A clean cut guy; someone you wouldn't be afraid to bring home and meet the parents." He shuddered comically at the very thought of 'meeting the parents' in general.

"Maybe Tish doesn't really know what she wants," Jen said. "Priestly, whether you look clean cut or not, you're still way more of a gentleman than any of those jerks she always went out with before, that alone will make an impression. I think Tish will eventually miss the real you too, you should talk to her."

Priestly shrugged, uncomfortable with the topic. He had thought he was making a sacrifice for a person he genuinely cared about, but maybe he had been on the wrong track the whole time. Changing your appearance was one thing, but what about changing your whole personality? He didn't want to seem superficial, but his piercings and hair, it was part of him, had been for a long time, and yes, part of it was sort of his armor, covering up his personal insecurities, but it had also simply become his personality. He just wasn't himself without it. And maybe that seemed vaguely dependent, but he didn't really care. Part of him wanted to and was willing to do anything for Tish, but the other part of him didn't want to live as someone he wasn't for the rest of his life.

"So," Jen said, smiling, bringing him out of his melancholy. "You were trying to think of something to do on your next date?"

"Yeah," Priestly shook himself. "I know they have horseback riding and parasailing and stuff on the beach, but I didn't know what she'd like to do, or if she would even be interested in any of that."

"Well, parasailing would be exciting," Jen said.

Priestly nodded, shuffling, and ran his hand through his hair. "I guess."

"What?" she asked.

"I don't know, I'm kinda…ya know, not good with heights. It wouldn't exactly be a great date if I was screaming like a little girl."

Jen laughed. "Okay, maybe not that then; at least not so early in your relationship. Horseback riding is pretty romantic. Maybe you could pack a picnic lunch?"

Priestly thought this over. It wasn't as exciting as parasailing, but he had to admit he liked the idea better. "That's true. You think she'd like that?"

"I think she would be happy with whatever you chose for you two to do, Priestly," she smiled.

"Okay, then, I'll look into that."

The two of them chatted a bit more before Trucker got in with a smile as he watched the two young people talking amiably as they set up.

"Good morning," he called. "Priestly, you wanna spill? How'd your date with Tish go?"

"I didn't crash and burn," Priestly said with a shrug and a small smile.

"I was just helping him decide on their next romantic destination," Jen told him with a grin. "Did you know Priestly is afraid of heights?"

"Hey, that was told in confidence," Priestly grumbled, slapping her on the shoulder with his rolled up apron.

Trucker shook his head at their antics. "Well, did you decide?"

"I think I'm going to take her horseback riding on the beach, but that's a secret," Priestly told him with a small smirk.

"She won't hear it from me," Trucker said. "I think she'll enjoy it though. I'm proud of you, Priestly."

Priestly smiled as the older man clapped him on the shoulder. He just wished he could find the confidence to talk to Tish about whether she cared what he looked like or not. Maybe it was partly because he was afraid that if she said she liked him the way he was now, he knew there would never be a chance of going back to the 'old' Priestly. Maybe if he said nothing, he could slowly start to change back to his old look and that would be that. Again, he worried he was being too superficial about it all. Maybe he should just try to start off fresh. He had certainly started fresh before. The only problem was the last time he hadn't liked what had come before. That Priestly had been sad and desperate, so he had put on a new face that made him more confident. He was afraid he would go back to being that person if he continually felt downtrodden with worrying about his appearance. And if that was the case, he could never be the man he truly wanted to be for Tish, because then he would be living a lie. Why was he so conflicted with this?

They started their work day, and when Tish came in later for her shift, Priestly couldn't help but smile when she greeted him with a soft kiss. No matter the conflict he was battling inside, he didn't regret telling her how he truly felt. It was like a little victory for him every time she turned one of those superficial jerks down when they came into the sandwich shop. And then he would give them a look that proudly stated Tish was his and there was nothing they could do about it.

Later, Priestly asked Trucker if he could get the next day off to take Tish on their second date.

"Of course, kiddo," Trucker told him with a grin. "Just be good to my angel."

Priestly grinned. "You know I will."

That night as they were closing down the Grill, Priestly went over to Tish and slipped his arm around her waist from behind, leaning over to kiss her cheek gently. She giggled as his breath tickled her ear slightly. "Priestly, what is it?" she asked.

"Nothing, I just wanted to tell you something."

"What?"

He spun her around. "I was wondering if you'd like to do something tomorrow?"

"Of course," Tish's eyes lit up, her hands coming to rest on Priestly's shoulders. "So, what do you have planned?"

"It's a secret," Priestly said with a cautious smile, hoping she would enjoy what he had planned. "How about we meet on the beach at ten in the morning?"

"Sounds good," Tish told him with a smile and stood on tiptoes to kiss him. "I'll see you then." She started to grab her stuff to leave.

"Oh, and Tish," Priestly called after her. "You should probably wear jeans and boots."

"I'm intrigued," Tish smiled at him and waved. "Goodnight Priestly."

"Goodnight, Tish," he said softly before he too grabbed his bag and drove home.

As soon as Tish got home, she started packing a few things for the next day, and dug a pair of boots out of her closet. She was excited to find out what Priestly had planned for the next day.

But at the same time, she could tell that something was going on with her new boyfriend. There was something different about him, something not quite right, and it didn't help that she always expected to see his old self whenever she looked at him either. It was like she knew he was happy, but he still seemed shy and awkward. Their entire first date, he had been so stiff—up until their walk on the beach and then he had been more like himself. But she was determined to figure out what was bothering him and get the old Priestly back. This relationship had a lot of potential and she really wanted to put in the time to make it work. Priestly wasn't like any of the other men she had ever been with and she was fascinated by him, almost. He was her white knight and she wasn't about to lose him now.

Tish sighed as she changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed. Maybe a second date would help Priestly get over his shyness or whatever this was.

Priestly got home after stopping by the store to pick up some stuff for their picnic the next day. He felt abnormally tired for some reason. Sure, he hadn't slept that well the night before—or the last few nights, really—but he shouldn't feel quite this tired. He also had a nagging headache starting behind his eyes, though that might have just been all the thinking he had done recently. He rubbed at his head as he stuffed the food in the fridge and grabbed the carton of milk to drink from before pouring himself a bowl of cereal as a snack.

He settled down to watch some TV hoping it might keep him from being too nervous about the next day, and by the time he had finished his bowl of cereal, he was starting to feel congested. His throat nasty and his sinuses making it hard to breathe through his nose. Priestly groaned. He had better not be getting sick. Maybe it was just allergies. Hopefully.

He watched a few more minutes of a show, but his exhaustion won out and he fell asleep on the couch, out before he knew what hit him.

To Be Continued…

Thanks for reading! Please take the time to review.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: We do not own Ten Inch Hero.

Unwrapping Life

*This chapter written by AnastaziaDanielle.

Chapter 3

Priestly woke a few hours later feeling tired and disoriented. He rubbed at his eyes and swallowed with a wince. His throat felt like he'd swallowed broken glass. Experimentally, he tried clearing it and swallowed again. The pain had only increased.

"I can't get sick now," Priestly moaned as he rolled off the couch and glanced at the clock. It was two in the morning. He scrubbed a hand over his hair and sighed when he remembered his missing Mohawk. He rubbed at his neck as he shuffled into the kitchen and grabbed a glass off the counter. Priestly filled it with water and drank a few swallows with a grimace. He throat was killing him.

Priestly carried the glass of water into the bathroom with him and rifled through the medicine cabinet. He tossed two cold pills into his mouth and swallowed them down with water. He plunked the glass down on the bathroom counter and made his way slowly to his bedroom where he fell onto the bed and barely remembered to set his alarm so he could get up to meet Tish before he fell into a deep sleep.

The shrill ring of the alarm woke him the next morning. Priestly had hoped that a few more hours of sleep and the meds would have cured him, but he actually felt worse. His throat felt as if knives were stabbing him each time he swallowed. A headache was pounding behind his eyes and his head felt stuffy. Of all days, why did he have to get sick today?

Determined to push through it and make the most of his date with Tish, Priestly forced himself to climb out of bed. He took a shower and made the water as hot as he could stand it, hoping that the steam would help his blossoming cold. His head did feel a tiny bit better as he exited the shower and dressed in jeans and a worn band t-shirt. Priestly looked longingly at his hair dye and the cup containing all of his piercings and a deep sigh escaped his lips. Maybe Jen was right and Tish wouldn't mind his piercings, mohawk, kilt, and t-shirts with sarcastic sayings. He had no idea how to bring up the topic with his new girlfriend, and he certainly didn't want to rock the boat in their new relationship.

With another sigh, Priestly took more cold medicine before slipping into his boots and heading out the door to meet Tish at the beach. He felt miserable, but then he thought of Tish's bright smile and the day seemed better already. He decided to stop by the store and pick up a few things for a picnic lunch on his way to the beach.

Tish parked her car in the parking lot she and her friends from the Grill always used when visiting the beach. She stepped out of her car and locked the door behind her, moving to lean against the car's warm metal. The day was beautiful. It was sunny and warm with only a few puffy white clouds scudding across the sky. She tilted her head back and let her thoughts wander.

Her stomach coiled with nerves and excitement as she wondered what Priestly had planned for them today. Tish curled strands of her dark hair around her finger as she thought about her handsome new boyfriend. A smile curved her lips as he pulled into the lot and parked beside her.

"Hey, Renaissance Man!" she greeted with a smile when he exited his red truck. Bouncing over to him, she placed her hands on his shoulders and planted a quick kiss on his lips.

"Morning," Priestly grinned, a smile blooming on his face when he felt Tish' lips press against his.

"Are you all right?" she asked in concern, slipping her hand into his and peering up into his face.

Priestly cleared his throat. "I'm fine," he assured her. "My throat is just a little sore."

Tish reached up to feel his forehead, but Priestly gently batted her hand away. "Tish, I'm okay," he assured her. "It's nothing that will keep us from enjoying our day."

"Well, if you're sure," she frowned.

"Positive, now come on," Priestly grinned, suddenly fighting the urge to cough.

"Where are we going?" she asked eagerly as she felt Priestly tug her into step beside him.

"How do you feel about horses?" he asked nervously. He was suddenly seized with anxiety. What if Tish was terrified of horses?

"I love them," she enthused. Then her eyes widened. "Are we going riding?" she nearly squealed.

"I made us reservations to go riding on the beach," Priestly informed her, his insides unknotting at the sight of the huge smile on her face.

"I've always wanted to go riding on the beach," Tish grinned as she squeezed Priestly's hand. "This is going to be so much fun!" She quickened her pace. "I took riding lessons as a kid, but I haven't been on a horse in ages."

They checked in at the stables with Tish beaming happily. Priestly's throat was burning, and he was trying desperately not to cough. The stable hand had cautioned them about not startling the horses with loud noises. He cleared his throat several times before he caught Tish casting a worried look in his direction. "I think I just need some water," he told her as he let go of her hand and hurried to the water fountain over in the corner by the restrooms. Priestly's head was still throbbing painfully, so he quickly took two Tylenol before returning to his girlfriend's side in time to be introduced to their horses.

Priestly found himself standing next to a giant brown and white paint horse named Rufus. The horse seemed huge as he looked up into his big, brown eyes which did not look overly friendly. He glanced over at Tish, hoping she had scored a gentler beast to ride. His beautiful girlfriend was happily stroking the velvety nose of a chocolate brown horse named Fergus. As he watched, Tish scratched the horse's neck before pressing her face up against his warm fur.

Warmth unfurled in Priestly's belly to see Tish this relaxed and happy. Her smile wreathed her face and then she turned and looked at him, throwing him a wide grin.

"Thank you so much, Priestly!" she enthused. "This is going to be incredible."

Priestly managed to stifle all but the tiniest of coughs, and his head continued to pound, but he grinned happily at his girlfriend. He watched as Tish mounted her horse effortlessly, and then turned to his own. Frowning, he managed to hook his foot in the stirrup. It took a few tries and a few grunts, but he was able to hoist himself up and onto the horse's back.

As if sensing his unease, Tish smiled at him. "You've got this, Renaissance Man!" she encouraged.

Priestly grasped the reins the way he was shown and swallowed hard before nodding at Tish and sending her a tense smile. His back was now aching from throwing his leg over the horse. Actually, if he allowed himself to think about it, he was beginning to ache all over. Priestly stifled another cough and forced himself to listen to the leader of the beach ride.

Priestly guided his horse awkwardly with the reins to follow Tish down the beach. She was beautiful sitting confidently in the saddle, her dark hair blowing in the sea breeze. Priestly longed to run his hands through her long tresses, but he still felt so uncomfortable and exposed without his usual clothing and hair style. He sighed which resulted in a cough. Rufus side-stepped nervously and Priestly gripped the saddle horn and fought the urge to squeeze his eyes shut. The ground looked so far away.

Tish was gazing out over the ocean and enjoying the feel of being on the back of a horse once again when she heard another muffled cough behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to see Priestly looking terrified as his horse shifted uneasily beneath him. "Are you doing okay back there?" she called.

"Yeah, just fine," Priestly answered, his voice catching on the final word as a cough tried to force its way out.

Tish frowned. Her boyfriend sounded like he was coming down with something. It was hard to enjoy the rest of the ride as she worried about the young man behind her. Priestly was coughing more frequently now, and a flush was evident on his cheeks.

A startled yelp drew her attention a few minutes later and she looked behind her again.

Priestly was looking at her with wide, startled eyes. "The horse bit me!" he grouched, his voice beginning to sound rough from all of the coughing he'd been doing. "He turned his big head around and bit my leg!"

"The ride is almost over, Priestly. Just hang in there a few more minutes," she told him sympathetically. Tish watched as Rufus the horse grunted and side-stepped while Priestly clung to the saddle horn. The few minutes it took to return to the stables seemed to last forever. Tish dismounted from Fergus easily and turned to watch Priestly get off of Rufus.

Priestly was sick; he had to admit it. Every joint ached from his neck to his lower back, to his elbows and knees. His head ached painfully; his throat burned worse than ever each time he swallowed; and now he was unable to breathe through his nose. It sucked that he had to get sick for his second date with Tish.

He groaned and put his weight into his left foot to dismount from the horse. Rufus walked forward just as Priestly put his foot on the ground causing the young man to fall backwards with is left foot still caught in the stirrup. Priestly yelled just as an attendant rushed forward to grab the horse's reins.

"Priestly!" Tish yelled as she watched her boyfriend hit the ground with a jarring thud. His foot was still hung up in the stirrup and her heart thudded as she feared he would be dragged across the sand. Thankfully, one of the stable hands grabbed Rufus' reins and Tish breathed a sigh of relief before running to Priestly's side.

He was lying flat on his back as someone eased his foot from the stirrup. Priestly groaned in pain once he was able to suck a breath of air back into his lungs.

"Priestly, are you hurt?" Tish asked as she dropped to her knees beside him and brushed a hand through his hair. She found herself missing the crazy colors and the mohawk, but pushed those thoughts aside to focus on his injuries. The heat emanating from his forehead alarmed her. "You're burning up," she told him before he could answer her question.

"Yeah, I pretty much feel like crap," he answered, purely embarrassed at failing so miserably at horseback riding in front of Tish and feeling so ill that he didn't bother to hide it anymore. Priestly pushed himself to a sitting position and bit back a moan. Man, was he achy and the fall from the horse wasn't going to help matters.

"How's your ankle? Can you stand?" Tish asked worriedly as she placed a reassuring hand on his back and rubbed up and down gently.

Priestly frowned as his ankle throbbed with each beat of his heart. "I don't know," he admitted as he coughed, which caused the pain in his ankle to flare up.

With Tish on one side and the trail ride leader on the other, they hauled Priestly to his feet. Within seconds of putting his weight on his left leg, Priestly nearly went down again.

"Okay, we're going to the emergency room," Tish told him. "Can you help me get him to my car?"

Priestly was aware of the workers at the stables giving Tish some kind of insurance forms, but he was too miserable to really pay attention. Once he was settled in the car, he leaned his head back against the headrest and sighed heavily. He just wanted to go home.

"Tish, can you just take me back to my place?" he asked her once she was settled in the driver's seat. She had procured an icepack from somewhere and had draped it across his ankle.

"What? No, Priestly! Your ankle might be broken. Did you see how much it's swelling?" Tish frowned at him. "I'll get Trucker and Jen to come get your truck later."

Priestly sighed. When Tish gone that tone in her voice, there was no changing her mind. A sudden thought occurred to him. "Wait!" he demanded just before she put the car into gear.

"No, Priestly, we are going straight to the hospital," she sighed.

"No, that's not….I mean…" Priestly sucked in a breath, wincing as his ankle pounded. "There's a picnic basket in the back of my truck. The food will go bad if we just leave it there."

Tish blinked at him before a soft smile curved her lips. "Priestly, that's so sweet." She watched as the feverish man before her flushed an even darker red with embarrassment at her words. "I'll go grab it and be right back."

Priestly coughed as he watched Tish jog over to his truck and lift the basket he'd bought out of the back. She lugged it back to her car and stowed it in the backseat.

"What have you got in there?" she queried curiously. "It's heavy!"

"Lunch," he told her as he rubbed his belly. "Horseback riding is hard work."

Tish laughed softly. "Okay, Renassiance Man." She reached over and cupped his jaw, rubbing her finger over the soft stubble that was growing there. "You treat me better than I deserve," she sighed.

Priestly shook his head and cleared his throat before speaking. "No, Tish, you deserve much more than any of those guys you dated ever gave you. You deserve more than some simple picnic lunch bought at the store."

Tish leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Thank you, Priestly. Maybe one day I'll believe it. Now, let's get you to the hospital. Your ankle has to be killing you."

Priestly dozed between coughing fits on the way to the hospital. Tish insisted on getting a wheelchair for him once they reached the emergency room. He pitched a fit, but Tish's determination won out in the end. After he filled out all of the forms, he and Tish settled in for a wait.

Priestly carefully stretched his sore leg out in front of him as he settled as comfortably as he could in the wheelchair. Tish relaxed in the chair next to him and reached for his hand, threading their fingers together.

"Thank you for planning the beach ride today," she said quietly. "I know it wasn't really your thing, but it means a lot to know you would do something like that for me. Seems like all most guys want to do is take me home and get me between their sheets."

Priestly squeezed her hand, but before he could answer the nurse called his name. Tish stood up and released the brakes on the wheelchair before pushing him through the double doors and into the emergency area.

The blonde nurse who looked to be about their age eyed Priestly openly as she helped him onto a hospital bed. "We are going to take good care of that ankle of yours," she assured him with a gentle squeeze to his shoulder. She allowed her hand to trail down his arm as a flirty smile tilted her lips upward.

Priestly stared at her uncomfortably with a wide, green gaze. "Uh, thanks," he murmured before turning to look at Tish. He nearly huffed a laugh, but turned it into a cough when he caught sight of her narrowed eyes and the scowl contorting her mouth.

"Oh, and it feels like you have a fever, too," the flirty nurse murmured as she ran a hand over Priestly's forehead and down his cheek.

Tish stepped forward. "Yes, my boyfriend isn't feeling well. I need to get him home and in bed, so we were hoping you could care for his ankle quickly." Tish tangled her fingers with Priestly's and stared down the blonde nurse.

Priestly snorted this time, which led to a coughing fit. Tish ran her fingers through his hair and down his back until his cough subsided.

"I'll be back when I can for x-rays," the nurse told them a bit shortly before she left the small curtained area assigned to Priestly.

Tish sighed with relief when the woman was gone and settled herself next to Priestly on the bed. He leaned back against the pillows and sighed when Tish curled up against his side and her warmth began to seep into him.

Priestly tried closing his eyes, but the pain from his ankle kept him awake. Then, he began to shiver with chills. That's when he felt Tish's cool hand against his forehead.

"I'm going to go find you another blanket," she told him softly. "Be right back."

Priestly huddled under the thin hospital blanket and longed to be home in his bed.

Tish returned a few moments later with a warmed blanket which she tucked around his shoulders and under his chin. She grinned when Priestly sighed in bliss.

A different nurse, older and more professional this time, arrived to take Priestly for x-rays. "I hear you have created quite a stir with our younger nurses."

"Me?" Priestly asked in surprise. Women usually dismissed him pretty quickly with his piercings, colored hair, mohawk, and tattoos. He wasn't sure what to think. Was he not desirable when he dressed and acted like the true man he was inside? The thought was disturbing.

The nurse nodded, but grinned at Tish. "I also hear that he's already taken."

Tish smiled. "You bet," she told the nurse. Then she turned to Priestly. "I'll be waiting right here for you," she promised.

Priestly must have dozed off at some point because the next thing he knew he was back in the emergency room with Tish. His stomach growled loudly as she leaned over to brush a kiss against his forehead to gauge his fever.

A small laugh escaped her lips. "How about if I go out to the car and get that picnic basket?" she grinned.

Priestly nodded. "Good idea," he croaked, sounding worse as the day wore on.

"Be right back," Tish informed him as she grabbed her keys and hurried down the hallway.

Priestly leaned back against the pillows and sighed. Why was Tish really here with him? Was it because she liked Priestly for who he was or was it because of his wrapping paper? The thought refused to leave him alone.

Tish returned a few minutes later lugging the heavy basket. "I can't wait to see what you have in here," she panted as she hefted the basket onto the foot of Priestly's bed, being careful of his ankle. Delving into it, she found sandwiches from a local deli, chips, and cookies for dessert. There were bottles of lemonade and water as well.

"Priestly, this is amazing!" she commented as she handed him a sandwich and a bag of chips. He blushed and wasn't sure how to respond to her praise.

Tish settled next to Priestly against the pillows and they ate quietly. Priestly dozed off before finishing his sandwich. Tish gently took it from his hands and tucked the blankets in snuggly around him. He looked miserable with his flushed cheeks, stuffy nose, and injured ankle. Tenderness for the young man before her welled up inside of Tish. She bit her lower lip as she stared at him, wondering how she got so lucky. She wasn't used to someone treating her as if she was a princess.

The doctor chose that moment to enter before she could dig any deeper into her thoughts. "Mr. Priestly, Ms. Madison," he called, "I have looked over the x-rays."

Priestly woke up and attempted to focus on the doctor. He rubbed his eyes sleepily before letting out a giant sneeze. Tish handed him a tissue and readjusted his blankets before turning her attention back to the doctor.

"Mr. Priestly, it looks like you have suffered a severe sprain. I don't see any evidence of broken bones."

Both Priestly and Tish breathed a sigh of relief.

The doctor continued. "That being said, you will still be in a lot of pain and will probably need crutches for a bit until it begins to heal." The doctor handed Tish a sheet of printed instructions. "Make sure to ice the ankle for 48-72 hours or until the swelling goes down." When she nodded, he continued speaking. "You can apply an ice pack every ten to twenty minutes every one or two hours. I'll show you how to wrap it. You will want to use compression for the first two days. You will also want to keep it elevated several hours a day until the swelling begins to go down."

Tish nodded with understanding. "I will make sure he's taken care of, Doctor," she promised, reaching out to brush Priestly's cheek with the back of her fingers.

"I am sure you will," the doctor smiled. "My nurse will be around with Priestly's discharge papers shortly.

Tish brushed her fingers through Priestly's soft hair once the doctor left. "So, looks like you're stuck with me for a few days, Renaissance Man," she laughed softly. "Your place or mine?"

Priestly yawned and coughed. "You don't have to stay with me," he told Tish quietly. "I don't want to be a burden."

"Priestly, you could never be a burden," she assured him passionately, wondering who in this man's life had made him feel that way. "I want to take care of you." Tish threaded her fingers through his once again. "How about my place?" she asked. "I have cabinets stocked with food and a bunch of movies we can watch."

She glanced down to see that Priestly had already fallen asleep. Tish pressed a fond kiss to his forehead and waited impatiently for the discharge paperwork. She couldn't wait to get Priestly home and settled so he could begin to heal.

To Be Continued…

*Medical info came from WebMD.

*Please take the time to review.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: We do not own Ten Inch Hero.

Unwrapping Life

Chapter Four – Written by LadyWallace

By the time they got Priestly signed out he was ready to sleep for a month. He was exhausted, and the pain in his ankle, accompanied by the full body ache brought on by the fever were making it hard to be comfortable in any position, especially when Tish helped him get into her car as he awkwardly juggled the crutches he had been given to help him get around without putting any weight on his sprain. He almost fell asleep again on the ride back to Tish's place, and was surprised when they stopped in front of her apartment.

"Hey, you up?" she asked with a fond smile as he blinked groggily. "I'm going to get you settled and then go pick up your prescription, okay?"

"Sure," he mumbled and reached for the door handle. Tish was already around the car before he got the door open and she helped him out and handed him the crutches.

It was a long way to her apartment—at least that was how it seemed—and by the time they got inside, Priestly couldn't do anything but collapse on the couch.

Tish quickly collected some things for him, a box of tissues, a blanket and an extra pillow to prop his leg up on, then she went and made him some lemon and honey tea because his throat sounded wrecked from coughing so much. Priestly gave her a slightly bewildered smile as he watched her do all this.

"Thanks, Tish, but you really don't have to do this," he told her. "I'm fine just sleeping."

"Hush," she told him teasingly, as she handed him the TV remote. "Just let me take care of you."

"Sorry I ruined our date," he grimaced.

Tish felt a warmth of affection wash through her. "It's okay, Priestly. It wasn't your fault that you got sick. Or that the horse threw you."

"That was a mean horse," Priestly muttered. "Don't think he liked me."

Tish bent and kissed his forehead gently. "Okay, I'm running to the pharmacy, I'll be right back. Anything specific you need?"

"M' good," he mumbled.

Tish smiled as she figured he was probably just going to sleep again and left the apartment.

Priestly had hoped he could sleep but his body was very uncomfortable and he was starting to feel nauseous, though was unsure whether it was just from the sickness or from the medicine the doctors had given him at the hospital. Sometimes pain medicine didn't agree with him, and probably especially not when he was already feeling so bad.

He tried to just close his eyes and forget it, but he continued to feel worse and worse until he knew he was going to have to get up or just throw up on the couch. He groaned, rolling over and forcing himself into a sitting position to reach for the crutches, but even that movement distressed his roiling stomach more than he could handle and he lurched from the couch in the attempt to hop to the bathroom if needed. Unfortunately, his head was spinning from his fever and he simply collapsed a few feet from the couch and threw up there on the floor. And all over his lap.

Priestly groaned and tried to breathe for a few seconds to get his strength back. He needed to clean himself up, because there was no way that he was going to make Tish do it for him. That would be even more mortifying than this whole situation already was. Sure she might think it's a cute girlfriend thing to do wiping his fevered brow, but he didn't think she'd be as thrilled about cleaning up his barf.

He eventually pulled himself together, grabbed the stupid crutches that he had a hard time using, and headed slowly to the bathroom where he took off his soiled jeans and left those for a moment so he wouldn't spread more mess around. Then he carefully made his way to the kitchen for paper towels and a trash can.

He almost ended up in the vomit again as he realized getting onto the floor with crutches was harder than he thought, but he caught himself on the coffee table before he fell. His ankle was throbbing, but he could get it back onto a pillow in a minute. He grabbed the paper towels and started trying to clean up but unwanted memories assaulted him violently before he could stop them. He closed his eyes as he tried to push them away, but they were still there.

"Look what you did, boy! You clean this up now!"

"I-I'm sick."

Then came the stinging blow, like a whip crack. "I don't care if you're dying, you will clean this up, do you hear me? No one's ever gonna want to take care of you, boy, so you may as well learn that now."

Priestly forced down the lump in his throat that had nothing to do with his illness and got to work, even though he was already exhausted by his trip to find supplies.

It was only a couple minutes later when he heard the door open and Tish came in quietly, probably figuring he was asleep, but when she saw him on the floor, she stopped and gasped.

"Priestly, are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Priestly said, his face burning with shame. "I uh, I just threw up, but I'm cleaning it up, and when I'm done, I'll wash my jeans."

"No way," Tish said firmly, throwing her bags by the door and coming straight over to him. "You need to be lying down, you look terrible."

"Tish, really, I got this," he tried to assure her, getting more embarrassed by the second.

"Priestly come on, I'm not afraid of a little vomit, I had a sister who I cleaned up after on occasion."

"But that's different," Priestly said. "You shouldn't have to do that for your boyfriend."

He wasn't looking at her but he could tell she was smiling. "What, you're afraid I'll think you aren't manly enough or something?"

"Tish…"

"Come here," she was behind him now and wrapping her arms around his torso. "Let's get you back on the couch."

Priestly half-heartedly helped get himself up on his good foot and then sat on the couch, or rather slumped, since he didn't have much energy for anything else.

"Now, I'll take care of you first, then I'll clean up. Arms up."

"What?" Priestly asked, confused as Tish started to tug at the hem of his t-shirt.

"Your shirt is all sweaty, it can't be comfortable," she told him and tugged more insistently until he complied and allowed her to pull it off. He was even more embarrassed now that she was caring for him like a child, and also somewhat surprised that anyone could truly care that much to help him like that.

"I stopped by your apartment and grabbed you some comfy clothes," she told him, heading back over to where she had dropped a duffle bag and rummaged through it for a shirt and pair of sweat pants.

She helped Priestly into the sweat pants first and then handed him the shirt so he could put it on himself. Priestly was vaguely surprised to see it was one of his snarky tees, this one said Sarcasm, one of the many services I offer. It made him smile slightly.

"Okay, time to get that foot elevated again," Tish said gently as she pushed him to lie down and positioned the pillow under his foot again. "I'll be back soon."

She then finished cleaning up the vomit, knowing Priestly was embarrassed and trying to do it as quickly as possible. She then went to the bathroom to find his jeans and grabbed them for the wash.

As she picked them up, Priestly's wallet fell out of the pocket and she bent to pick it up before she realized a photo had slipped out of it. She frowned and reached for the old tattered picture.

In it there was a young couple, both smiling, the man with his arm wrapped around the woman and her arms full of a bundled baby. They looked so happy, and the man resembled Priestly slightly, though in this picture was a few years older. She knew this had to be his parents, which meant the tiny baby was Priestly. Tish smiled at this, thinking of teasing her boyfriend a little.

She put the picture safely into her pocket and then went to clean up. Priestly was lying on the couch with his arm slung over his eyes, looking even more miserable now than he had earlier. She cleaned up as quickly as she could, and then brought him a glass of water before she slipped the picture out of her pocket, smiling at it again.

"You sure were cute as a baby, Priestly," she said.

Priestly frowned up at her, moving his arm from over his eyes, but when he saw what she was holding, his reaction was not what she had expected. He reached out to snatch the picture from her.

"Where'd you find this?" he asked hoarsely.

Tish was taken aback. "It was just in your wallet, it fell out when I went to throw your jeans in the wash. Are you okay, Priestly?"

He looked at the picture and gently set it on the coffee table. "Yeah, sorry, I didn't mean…" he trailed off with a cough and Tish started to get the feeling that there was more to the story than her boyfriend was letting on. She was eager to know, but at the same time, didn't want to push him, especially in his current state.

"It's okay, I know you're not feeling well," she told him and then sat down on the side of the couch at his shoulder and curled up against him, wrapping one arm around his shoulders and drawing his head over to rest against her.

"Tish, you're gonna get sick if you stay with me," Priestly said with a sigh, his body tense. Tish frowned at his seeming discomfort.

"I don't mind, I'm here to take care of you, you idiot," she told him with a fond kiss on the forehead. "Is something wrong, Priestly?"

He was silent for a long time, shifting uncomfortably before he said. "I'm just…not used to having anyone to take care of me. I guess I'm bad at it."

Tish smiled gently. "Well, I'll teach you, then. It's easy, you just let me do everything you can't. And don't be embarrassed to ask, you need to keep that foot up, so you really shouldn't be getting up more than you have to. That's why I asked you to stay here, silly."

Priestly gave a deep sigh and turned his head to press against her neck. "How was I ever so lucky to find you?"

Tish's heart stuttered in her chest at hearing that. No one had ever said anything like that before. She had always just been an object, and for some reason she had always been happy to let that happen. But since she had been Priestly's girlfriend, she had finally seen what it was like to truly be cared about by someone.

"I think I'm the lucky one," she replied quietly, holding him closer.

They just lay there for a long moment, until Tish thought that Priestly had fallen asleep, but he spoke, startling her.

"They died when I was a kid," he said. "My parents. Car crash."

Tish's breath caught in her throat at this sudden admission. "Priestly…I'm so sorry." She didn't know what else to say.

"I was only five at the time. I…don't remember much about them, but that they loved each other and the three of us made a happy family." His body tensed again. "Then I had to live with my aunt and…and her boyfriend, and that wasn't so nice. I wasn't wanted there, and they made sure I knew it."

Tish felt tears prick her eyes as she reached up and ran her fingers through Priestly's hair to soothe him. "I'm sorry," she said again, lamely. What could you really say to someone who had lost everything?

"I just…that's why I'm not good with the whole depending on people thing. I never had anyone I could depend on, I always had to take care of myself, so it's just… bizarre for me to think that someone cares enough to do that, I guess."

Tish's heart broke and she turned Priestly's face upright so she could meet his eyes. "Priestly, don't ever think that again. I…I love you." As soon as she said it, she realized how true it was. Even though they had been dating for only a short time, she definitely felt more for Priestly than she ever had for any other man who had come into her life. She instantly felt the difference.

"You do?" he asked hesitantly, looking up at her with wide eyes.

"I do," she whispered and kissed him softly, feeling him finally relax against her. If Priestly could teach her what love really was, than she was determined to show him that people really could care about him. She would make sure of that.

To Be Continued…

Please take the time to review.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: We do not own Ten Inch Hero.

Unwrapping Life

Chapter 5 – Written by AnastaziaDanielle

Tish was pulled back to wakefulness by the sound of soft crying. She rubbed her eyes and winced as her neck protested painfully when she moved it. She stared up at the ceiling and realized she had fallen asleep on the couch next to Priestly with her head resting on his shoulder at an odd angle. She massaged her neck and lifted her head to glance at the TV and then frowned. Priestly must have awakened enough to turn the TV off.

She turned to glance at her boyfriend and her heart twisted in her chest when she noticed tears slipping down his cheeks. "Priestly?" she murmured, but there was no response. He was crying in his sleep. "Priestly?" she called a tiny bit louder, hoping to wake him.

"Mom?" he mumbled in his sleep. "Don't go, Mom. I need you, okay? Please stay; I'll be good. I promise." Priestly shifted against the couch, but didn't wake up. His breathing sounded congested and his cheeks were flushed with fever.

Tish's breath caught in her throat and she felt tears welling in her eyes. Reaching out, she began to rub his arm slowly. "You're dreaming, Priestly. It's okay. Your mom loved you, and she didn't want to leave you." The tears in her eyes spilled over and rolled down her cheeks. She knew Priestly's mother would have adored her son had she lived – more than her own mother and father adored her. Tish bit back a sigh and watched as Priestly shifted once again on the couch. His dream seemed to release him from its grip.

Tish went into the kitchen and got fresh ice for his ankle. Returning to the living room, she settled it against his leg before carefully shaking him awake. "Priestly, we need to get some medicine in you. Your fever is really starting to climb."

"Hm?" he questioned, blinking his eyes open blearily.

"You have a fever, Priestly. We need to get it down. Here, take these." Tish deposited two pills into his hand and then passed him a glass of water.

Priestly took them and stared at the pills for a moment before popping them into his mouth. He seemed a bit sluggish. Tish wasn't sure if it was the pain pills or the fever making him act this way.

She retrieved the glass from him and placed a gentle hand on his cheek. "I'm going to go get a cool rag. I'll be right back." Tish returned the glass to the kitchen and then made her way to the bathroom where she dampened both a wash rag and a hand towel with cold water.

Tish returned to Priestly's side and gently draped the hand towel around his neck, smiling when he sighed in relief.

"Feels good," he murmured, but then the look of insecurity from earlier descended over his face. He forced heavy-lidded eyes open so that he could gaze up at his girlfriend. "I'll be okay, Tish. You don't need to waste your time looking out for me."

"Stop that right now, Renaissance Man," Tish admonished him gently with a finger to his lips. "I want to take care of you; I want you here with me." She carefully folded the wash cloth and draped it over his forehead. "Rest while I go find my thermometer." She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek before heading into the bathroom to go on a search for her rarely used thermometer.

Priestly was dozing when she came back and she roused him enough to get the thermometer under his tongue. One hundred two degrees – could be better, could be worse. He shivered from chills and she tucked his blanket more securely around him. "Get some rest, Priestly," she murmured as she brushed a hand through his hair. A smirk touched her lips as she realized she missed his mohawk.

Tish changed into a pair of soft sleep shorts and a tank top before crawling between the sheets in her bed. She was exhausted and today hadn't turned out as planned. That was okay, though. She felt as if she knew Priestly a little better, and she was looking forward to showing him that he was worth having someone care for him. It didn't take her long to drop off to sleep.

She was jolted awake a short time later by a pained scream. "Priestly!" she gasped and bolted from her bed. Tish stumbled down the hall to the living room and fumbled for the lamp. She nearly knocked if off the table when Priestly moaned and whimpered. The sound came from the corner across the room, not from the sofa.

The room was flooded with light as Tish finally found the switch on the lamp. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of Priestly cowering in the corner of her living room with his knees tucked to his chest and his arms wrapped around them. "Priestly?" she asked in concern. "What is it? What's wrong?" She thought maybe he had been sick again, but there was no evidence of vomit anywhere.

Tish knelt down in front of him and was startled when he pulled back in fright.

"I'm sorry; I'm sorry! I didn't mean to." Priestly covered his face in a defensive posture and made himself as small as possible.

"Priestly, it's Tish. You're in my apartment. No one is going to hurt you," she soothed. She found that she was afraid to touch him; she didn't know what was going through his head and she didn't want to make things worse.

He didn't seem to hear her. Instead, he continued to plead as he hallucinated, or at least Tish assumed that's what was happening. "I cleaned it up," Priestly whimpered. "See, I cleaned it," he nearly sobbed. "Please, don't hit me again."

"Oh, Priestly," Tish murmured, reached out to hesitantly run her fingers through his light brown hair.

"No, please!" he pleaded, this time with tears running down his cheeks as his body trembled all over. "I-I didn't mean to drop the glass. I was shaking because I was sick. I'll clean it up. I'll clean it. No hitting, please!" he pleaded.

"Priestly, wake up!" Tish demanded as she felt his forehead. "You're burning up. We need to get your fever down."

Priestly moaned and pulled away from her. "Don't hit me," he cried out. "Bill, please!"

Tish hurried for the thermometer and managed to get it under Priestly's tongue. She winced at the number on the screen when it beeped. "We have to cool you off," she told him, pretty sure her boyfriend had no idea she was even there. "Let's get you back to the couch." Tish gripped his arm and tried to pull Priestly to his feet, but he shied away from her and curled into a ball on the floor, sobbing quietly.

The sight broke Tish's heart and tears cascaded down her cheeks. She grabbed her cell phone from the coffee table as she hurried to the kitchen for some ice packs. Trucker was the only person she knew that Priestly would trust to help him when he was like this.

Their friend answered with a sleepy voice on the fourth ring. "Hello, who's this?"

"Trucker, it's Tish. Priestly's sick and on pain meds. He got hurt on our date today. He's hallucinating, and I need some help with him." Tish could hear Trucker telling Zo to go back to sleep.

"Where are you, Angel? I'm coming," he replied as he cleared the sleep from his voice.

"We're at my place. His fever is high, Trucker, and he's curled in the ball in a corner." Tish sniffled as she held the phone to her ear with her shoulder as she bagged ice. "Hurry. It hurts to see him like this."

"I'll be there in two shakes," the hippy promised.

Tish ended the call and hurried back to her living room. Priestly was still in the corner with his arms wrapped protectively around his legs and his face buried in his knees. She approached him cautiously. "Here, Priestly, let me put this on your neck. It will help get your fever down."

Priestly flinched away from her when she moved closer, but didn't strike out. Tish placed the ice pack on the back of his neck and pressed it down. "This will help you feel better," she soothed in a quiet voice. Her boyfriend's only response was a small whimper.

"Trucker is on his way over," she murmured softly. "We'll get you settled back on the couch and under a blanket. Maybe that will help you feel better." She ran a hand through his soft hair in a calming rhythm.

It took a few minutes, but the ice pack seemed to help make Priestly more lucid. "Tish?" he whispered brokenly.

"I'm right here, Priestly," she reassured him, carefully sliding her hand into his and giving his fingers a gentle squeeze.

"I'm sorry," he managed as he attempted to unfold himself. "The pain meds and being sick…" he trailed off searching for words.

"You don't need to apologize for anything," Tish told him, using her free hand to cup his face. "We all get sick at some point, Priestly, and we all need help."

He cast his green eyes toward the floor and refused to look her in the face.

"Tell me what happened to you," Tish whispered, stroking his stubbly jaw with her thumb.

She watched as Priestly swallowed hard and rubbed at his tired eyes. There was a knock on the door before he could respond to her question. His brows furrowed in confusion. "It's Trucker," Tish explained. "He's going to help me get you up with your bad ankle."

Tish let their friend into her apartment and was grateful when he didn't make it seem strange that Priestly was sitting in the floor in the corner of her living room.

"Priestly, Tish tells me you hurt yourself today and then got a fever on top of it all. Only your luck, huh?" the older man asked in a friendly tone.

Priestly nodded. "I'm in bad shape, Trucker, but you didn't need to come all the way over here just for me."

"Of course I did," Trucker pointed out. "You're my friend, Priestly, and friends help each other." He looked over at Tish. "Where is he injured? I don't want to make things worse getting him up."

Tish pointed toward Priestly's bandaged leg. "A bad ankle sprain."

Trucker nodded. "Okay, you get on his good side and we'll lift on three."

Tish moved to her boyfriend's side and lifted Priestly on Trucker's count. She slipped his arm over her shoulders and between the three of them they stumbled their way to her couch. Priestly was soon stretched out on the soft cushions with his ankle elevated on pillows.

"Maybe cut back a bit on the pain meds," Trucker cautioned Tish as he eyed Priestly. "Do you have any Tylenol or anything he can take?"

She nodded. "Yeah, he's had a few doses."

"He's had pain meds before, and I've seen him loopy, but never seen him hallucinate." Trucker watched as Priestly's eyes slipped closed and his breathing evened out in slumber.

"What happened to him, Trucker?" Tish asked quietly as she smoothed her fingers through Priestly's light brown hair. "I know his parents died and he lived with an aunt and her boyfriend. He doesn't think anyone should have to care for him, almost like he's not worth it. You've known him longer than me."

Trucker sighed. "Tish, it's not my story to tell. It's Priestly's, and you need to hear it from him. Let's just say that I'm glad he has you now."

"I'm so lucky to have him, Trucker," Tish sighed as he leaned over to place a kiss on Priestly's forehead.

Trucker patted her shoulder gently. "I'm going to get back to Zo and let you get some rest. Don't hesitate to call me again if you need me, Angel."

"Thank you so much, Trucker." Tish hugged her friend and walked him to the door. Once Trucker was gone, she returned to Priestly's side and adjusted his blanket. His cheeks weren't as flushed now; maybe his fever was going to break soon.

Deciding that the bedroom was too far away from her boyfriend, Tish curled up in the overstuffed chair in the corner of her living room where she would be nearby in case Priestly needed her.

To Be Continued…

Please take the time to review. Thanks so much!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: We do not own Ten Inch Hero.

Unwrapping Life

Chapter Six – Written by LadyWallace

Priestly woke to surroundings he couldn't quite place, still hazy from his fever that seemed to finally have broken. He frowned and looked around, before seeing Tish curled across the room from him in a chair, sound asleep. He then remembered that he was in her apartment, and sleeping on her couch while he recovered from whatever illness he had caught on top of his injured ankle.

He sighed and slumped back onto the couch wearily, eyes sliding half shut as he raised one arm and rested it across his face. Vague memories were coming back to him, things he couldn't quite place. He remembered being sick the day before and the shame that came with that, and that must have sparked memories of his childhood. Priestly frowned as he thought more of his sickness, flashes of agony and bad memories coming back to him, laced with Tish's comforting hands and words.

And then he realized with a sinking heart what must have happened the night before. He had probably been hallucinating from the fever and Tish had been forced to see him like that. He didn't remember the particulars, but he knew enough of what he had dreamed last night to know it was things he had never wanted her to know about him. What had she heard? What had he said, and revealed the night before in his fevered state? Priestly's face burned from the shame and he cast another long look at Tish's sleeping form.

He knew then that he couldn't be a burden to her any longer. He was going to slip out while she slept and hope that the deplorable state she had seen him in the night before didn't totally ruin their relationship. Of course, it was all too good to be true really, wasn't it? Priestly should have known that he could never be so lucky to score a girlfriend like Tish Madison. Perhaps it was better to stop things now before they got into a more serious relationship.

Priestly slowly sat up, his head spinning from the remnants of the fever. Okay, so he wasn't really sure how he was going to get back to his apartment. Maybe he would call a cab or catch a bus or something. It was still early, but he should be able to find some form of public transportation.

He soon realized that wasn't his only problem, however, because when he started to push himself to his feet, his ankle protested. A lot. He collapsed against the side of the couch at the unexpected pain, a muffled curse escaping from between clenched teeth. Okay, this was going to be more difficult than he realized.

Tish stirred and Priestly felt a wash of panic settle into him. He wanted to be gone before she woke, so he tried to push himself up again, only to end up practically falling on his face in a very undignified heap.

Tish gasped and flung her blankets aside, obviously awake. "Priestly! What happened?"

He groaned and sat back against the couch, not quite looking up to meet her worried expression.

"Don't worry about it," he tried to protest as she crouched next to him and put a hand to his forehead.

"Well, your fever seems to have finally gone down," she said with some relief. "It got really high last night."

Heat spread across his face again and he looked down at his lap, trying not to fidget. "Tish, I'm sorry about all of this. I was…I was just heading out, so you don't have to worry about taking care of me anymore."

Hands grabbed his face and turned it upwards until he was looking Tish in the eye, seeing her face was stubborn and almost angry. "No, you're staying right here until you're at least able to walk. Seriously, Priestly? You can't even get off the couch, how were you planning to get home by yourself?"

He pulled away from her, suddenly wanting no pity from her. "Tish, you seriously can't want me here being a burden. You have a life."

"Yes, and you're part of it now, you idiot," she said, her voice firm, yet fond. "Did nothing I said yesterday mean anything to you?"

He hesitated, but shook his head. "After last night…I don't really remember all of it, Tish, but I know I said some things, and…Tish, just trust me, you don't want that in your life. I never should have agreed to stay here. It's unfair to you."

"Why? Because you had a couple nightmares about your crappy childhood?" Tish demanded. "Priestly, there's nothing to be ashamed of. You lived through a traumatic experience. I just…I wish you would talk to me. Let me help."

Her eyes held a profound pain that Priestly didn't quite understand. How could she really care that much about his horrible past? He didn't like to think about it, and he couldn't stand to see the pity she would turn toward him when she found out. That would kill him. He turned his gaze back to his lap where his hands were clenched.

"Priestly," she said, her voice softer, and her hand was back on his cheek. "Trucker said…Trucker said he knew what happened to you, but it was your story to tell." Priestly's eyes flashed up to her again, narrowing at the thought of Tish asking Trucker what had happened to him. "Look, I'm not going to make you tell me if you really don't want to, but I just want to understand." Tish's eyes were pleading, making his emotional walls waver just a bit. "I just want to understand so that I can help you to understand that I care about you, and that it's okay for someone to take care of you. I can't imagine what you went through, but I do want you to know that it's never going to happen again as long as I'm around."

Priestly closed his eyes for a long moment, wondering if he should give in. He really didn't want to relive his past. The little he had told Tish the day before had been hard enough to get out, but there was so much more than that. On the other hand…Tish really cared, he could tell, and if she was willing to help him through his messed up issues, then maybe he should be more willing to meet her halfway.

He finally sighed deeply and looked up at her. "Fine. What do you want to know?"

Tish seemed somewhat relieved with his acquiescence. "First, I want you to get back on the couch. Then I'm going to make some coffee and we can drink it while we sit and talk."

Priestly nodded reluctantly. "Okay."

A few minutes later, Tish had gotten Priestly settled on the couch again, this time more upright with his foot propped up on the coffee table, and brought him a cup of coffee and some toast so he could start getting something into his stomach again. She sat down next to him with her own cup and waited for him to start talking, not wanting Priestly to feel like she was pushing him into anything.

Priestly finished eating his toast and jelly, then stared into his coffee cup. He knew he should tell Tish about his past—she deserved to know, after all. He just wasn't sure he wanted to go there with her. Even though they had known each other for a while, their romantic relationship had only just started. Was it too much to share? But then, she had already cleaned up his barf, so he figured that all bets were off.

He heaved a deep sigh and finally started speaking, though without looking up at her, hands clasped around the warm mug. "So, well, like I said before, after my parents died, my aunt got custody of me." He shrugged uncomfortably. "I had never really met her before, I don't think my mom got along with her all that much. Anyway, it wasn't terrible at first I guess. I was only five years old, and missing my parents, and was kind of just glad to have someone to take care of me, I guess; though Aunt Carol didn't do all that much of that in reality. And then there was Bill." He stopped for a minute to collect his thoughts, wondering how much detail he should share.

"Who was Bill?" Tish asked quietly.

"My aunt's boyfriend," Priestly said bitterly, fingers tightening around his cup. "Real piece of work. You know the type—foul mouthed, abrasive, pretty much always drunk. Definitely didn't want a kid running around getting in the way and using up his beer money." He didn't need to tell her that he oftentimes went without new clothes long after the old ones had worn out and gotten far too small, and that it seemed like feeding him supper each night was an expense they could little afford, even though he ate the same slop as his aunt and Bill. "I don't really remember when it started; the verbal abuse was always there, and not only from Bill—my aunt never wanted me either, really—and eventually that led to the physical abuse." His jaw tightened and Tish reached out to rest a hand on his knee, squeezing gently. "It um…sometimes it got pretty bad. Sometimes he didn't even care if the…bruises were visible when I went to school."

"Priestly," Tish whispered and he couldn't look at her, couldn't see the sympathy in her eyes, because he couldn't stop now, he had already told so much he may as well finish.

"I guess I'm just pretty messed up because it's only to be expected when you live every day, as a kid, with people who only ever told you that you were a burden and that you weren't wanted. Sometimes I wondered why they didn't just give me up. A foster home couldn't have been any worse than that."

Tish leaned closer to him. The worst part was over now though and Priestly actually huffed a sharp laugh at the next part. "Eventually, I kind of got into the swing of things though, and when I was sixteen I figured I'd had enough. Bill, he got this new car and he was so proud of it, I decided that I was going to get him back a little. So one night when he was passed out from drinking, I went and tore the thing up—slashed the tires, broke the windows, ripped the seats, the whole nine. He was furious."

"Oh, Priestly," Tish said with a helpless laugh, clapping a hand over her mouth.

"Of course he figured it had been me, it's not like anyone else would really dare, though I'm sure I wasn't the only one who had reason to. So he pressed charges, and…I got arrested."

He could feel her cringe and shrugged. "I served my time doing community service since I was still a minor and the local sheriff didn't like Bill much more than I did. Honestly, the look on Bill's face when he saw the car was worth it." Of course, the beating that had followed had been brutal, but also probably one of the reasons the sheriff had gone easy on him. "Then when I turned eighteen I was out of there and I didn't look back. Course, I had hardly a penny to my name either. Aunt Carol had long since blown through all the money my parents left for me, and I had lost the job I'd been working at the grocery store when I got arrested. I hadn't really planned on what I was going to do, I was just so glad you get away from that life, that I kind of fell on hard times. Did some things I wasn't proud of." He didn't elaborate about the petty thefts he had made just to keep his stomach full. "Anyway, that eventually led me to scrounging food from a dumpster outside the Grill, which is where Trucker found me." He bit his lip, thinking back to that moment with shame, but it had been the start of something new, something good, finally. He shook his head. "I still don't know why Trucker took me in, he certainly couldn't have seen anything in me, but he gave me a job and even let me crash with him for a while until I got on my feet." He shrugged again, uncomfortable now that the sharing was over. "So there you have it. That's the long messy story of how Boaz Priestly became the freak he is today."

Tish wrapped her arms around him. "Priestly, I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I didn't know."

He stiffened at the tone of her voice. "Of course not, I didn't want anyone to know. It's not your problem."

"I'm still sorry you had to go through that."

"I don't want your pity," Priestly said quietly through clenched teeth. This is what he had been afraid of.

Tish pulled back, frowning at him. "Pity? I'm not pitying you, It just hurts me to know what you went through because I care, Priestly."

"Yeah, and now it's all you're going to be able to think about," he sighed bitterly, instantly regretting giving her so many details.

"You think this will make me see you any differently?" Tish asked him with a frown, starting to sound indignant. "You think I'm that shallow?"

"I don't know, Tish, are you?" The words came out before he could stop them, all the insecurities he had been feeling the last few days pouring in and bubbling over. "I mean, you barely gave me a second glance until I changed my look for you. Is it just that it coincided with you finally seeing me for who I am, or was it all because I didn't look like a freak anymore?"

"Priestly, how could you say that?" Tish demanded, shocked.

"And I'm not just going to be some project for you to fix," Priestly continued, not knowing where his sudden anger was coming from. "I don't want you to think you're obligated to be with me now just because I told you my deepest dark secrets."

Tish suddenly stood up, fists clenched and glaring down at Priestly. "If you think that, then you're the shallow one!" she told him and then spun around and stormed off to her bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

Priestly's anger instantly dissipated as she left the room, and guilt, and regret settled in. He buried his face in his hands, angry with himself now for his mistake. Well, maybe it was for the best after all. Their relationship had been good while it lasted, but perhaps it was never meant to be.

Of course, one can only lie to themselves so much. Deep down, Priestly knew that Tish was the best thing that had ever happened to him, and he might have just lost her.

To Be Continued…


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: We do not own Ten Inch Hero.

Unwrapping Life

Chapter 7 – Written by AnastaziaDanielle

Tish leaned back against her bedroom door and sucked in deep, calming breaths as her heart pounded in her chest. Tears burned behind her eyes, but she blinked them back and refused to let them fall. How could Priestly think she was that shallow and selfish? Had she really behaved in such a way that would make him think that? Tish crossed her arms protectively across her chest and sat down on the edge of her bed. Her mind darted from thought to thought; she leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees and bury her face in her hands.

Tish thought back to times at the Grill when Priestly had been called a freak and she hadn't stepped up to defend him. She'd gone out with every good-looking, preppy guy who'd asked her on a date, but hadn't been able to see the good in the kind yet sarcastic Priestly. In truth, when she'd first met him, Tish hadn't looked past the piercings and the mohawk. Chagrin and regret roiled within her stomach. Of course Priestly would think she was shallow; she hadn't given him any reason to think otherwise.

She stood and began to pace back and forth in her small bedroom. Priestly wasn't the only one who'd felt unwanted and in the way. Tish hadn't had the perfect life that everyone assumed she'd had. It wasn't like that for her – not at all. Tish was never good enough - certainly never smart enough- to live up to her parents' expectations. Her sister was the apple of their eyes and Tish was the air-headed prom queen that never applied herself like they thought she should. She had faded into the background while her sister received all of the praise. Tish had learned to seek attention in other ways, even if she sometimes felt cheap and used afterwards.

Tish sighed and flopped backwards to lie spread eagle on her bed. She stared up at her ceiling and frowned when she noticed a cobweb draped on her fan. She'd have to get that later.

A knock on the door drew her attention. "Tish?" Priestly called softly. "Can we talk?"

She frowned, thinking back to hoisting Priestly off the floor earlier. Tish bounded off her bed and snatched the door open to find Priestly, gray-faced and sweating, leaning on his crutches. "What are you doing up?" she fussed as she took his arm and pulled him carefully over to her bed.

Priestly dropped to the edge with a sigh of relief and then began coughing so hard he thought he could quite possibly yack up his toenails. He hacked until his eyes watered and he felt as if he was going to vomit. It suddenly registered that Tish was pressing a glass of water into his hand.

"Drink," she ordered.

He took a tentative sip and nearly sighed in relief when it soothed his irritated throat. Cautiously, he took another swallow and then another before looking up at Tish. "Thank you," he ground out in a raspy voice. His fever may have gone down, but he was still miserable. His throat was still raw; his nose was stuffy; and his ankle throbbed in time with the pounding in his head. Priestly sniffled and dreaded the trip back to the couch.

"We need to talk, Priestly," Tish sighed as she took his glass from his and placed it on the nightstand. With careful movements, she helped him settle back against the headboard. "I'll be right back; I'm going to get the blanket off the couch."

Priestly tipped his head back once she was gone and stared in desolation up at the ceiling. He'd ruined everything; it seemed as if the things that happened in his younger years always came back to haunt him. Maybe he could call Trucker to come pick him up. He didn't think his friend would mind, and if Tish was breaking up with him she certainly wouldn't want him to stay at her place.

Tish returned with the blanket and silently draped it over Priestly before moving to the other side of the bed. She sat cross-legged down by Priestly's knees so that she could face him.

Priestly cleared his throat. "Tish, I uh…"

"Priestly, I owe you an apology," she cut in, unable to wait any longer.

He blinked. "Wait, what?" he asked, confused.

Tish slid off the bed and began to pace back and forth, unable to sit still. "You were right about me." Her fingers played with the hem of her shirt.

"Tish," he protested.

"No, Priestly, let me finish," she informed him as she forced herself to turn and meet his eyes. "I owe you an apology." She watched as confusion descended over his handsome face.

"I don't understand," he replied. "I should be the one apologizing."

"No," she shook her head. "You were right; I was shallow, at least at first." She rubbed her sweaty palms on the front of her pants and began to pace once again. "I paid more attention to the wrapping paper instead of what was on the inside. I'm sorry, Priestly. You are so much more than a mohawk and piercings and tattoos."

Priestly looked down at the blanket covering him; her words made him feel like he was suffocating behind his facade of khaki pants and a button down shirt. That's not who he was, and he wasn't sure it was a look that he could commit to long term, even if it was for Tish. She sounded as if she thought the way he had dressed before was a bad thing; the thought made his stomach churn nervously.

She must have read his mind because suddenly she was next to him with her hand on his. "Priestly, look at me," she said gently yet insistently.

When he looked up, he was surprised to see a small smile curving Tish's full lips.

"Priestly," she sighed, "I didn't mean that I didn't like your mohawk and piercings. Those things make you who you are. You like them, and actually, I kind of miss them."

Priestly's eyes widened almost comically. "You do?" he asked in astonishment.

"Yes," she giggled, leaning forward to press her lips to his cheek for a quick kiss.

"Huh," he grunted, a goofy grin covering his face.

Tish curled into his side and rested her head against his shoulder. "Actually," she admitted, "I think your mohawk is pretty hot." She glanced up and grinned as Priestly's cheeks flushed red at her words. Reaching up, she ran her hand through his soft, short hair. "And your piercings. Definitely need to bring back the piercings." She huffed a laugh when even his ears turned red and then nuzzled his cheek.

"You know, if I didn't feel so bad, I'd kiss you right now," Priestly rasped before coughing.

Tish rubbed his chest in slow circular motions. "Maybe you should try getting some more sleep."

"I don't think I can make it back to the couch after walking in here," he sighed tiredly.

"Priestly, you're lying on a bed. What better place is there to sleep?" Tish asked dryly.

"So true," he agreed as Tish helped him slide down to get comfortable. Then she carefully situated his throbbing ankle on a pillow and tucked the blanket around his leg. He inhaled deeply and smiled when he realized the bed smelled like Tish. "Want to lie down with me for a bit?" he asked sheepishly, fully expecting her to say no.

"I thought you'd never ask," she said instead as she moved to curl beside him on the bed with her head on his shoulder and her hand over his heart.

The blinds over the windows were still pulled and the room was dim. Priestly's aching body soaked in the warmth of Tish lying next to him and he was asleep within minutes.

Tish felt the steady thump of his heart beneath her hand and breathed in the scent that was uniquely Priestly's. He was so good to her and had still liked her, even when she'd treated him like crap. Her own insecurities suddenly flamed to life inside of her. Priestly, despite his difficult childhood and teen years, was a good man – honest, loyal, genuine. She, on the other hand, felt like a cheap piece of trash. She'd lived up to her parents' expectations and had done what they would consider nothing with her life while her sister Bettina was placed high on a pedestal. Tish admitted that her sister was very smart, and her full scholarship to college proved it. The last time she'd ventured home, Tish had winced when her father had said the dreaded words, "Why can't you be more like your sister?"

She sighed and burrowed further into Priestly's side. Dwelling on her shortcomings would not help matters. Tish knew she needed to focus on her future, and she hoped that Priestly would be a part of it. Once he really got to know her, though, and see her shortcomings and failures, Tish was afraid he'd be ashamed of her just like her parents. The thought nearly crippled her with anxiety inside.

Tish forced herself to close her eyes and focused on Priestly's heartbeat. She hoped she could fall asleep, but her mind was too busy and focused on bad memories of the past now that they had surfaced. It was like the scabs had been ripped off of healing wounds.

If she was honest with herself, she had been a bit put off by Priestly's style, but eventually she had held him at a distance because she was afraid he wouldn't like her anymore if he got to know the real Tish, the Tish that wasn't good enough for her own family. How could she ever expect to be good enough for a guy as sweet and kind as Priestly?

Slowly removing her hand from his chest, Tish turned away from him and faced the wall. She bit her lip as hot tears slipped down her cheeks. Should she end things now before Priestly discovered she wasn't the woman he thought she was? The thought made her feel sick inside. Maybe it was selfish of her, but she wasn't sure if she could follow through with that idea.

Priestly snuffled in his sleep and then began coughing. He pushed himself to a sitting position against the headboard and reached for the glass of water Tish had left on the nightstand.

Tish hastily wiped at her eyes before sitting up and turning to him. She was glad the blinds were closed. Maybe Priestly wouldn't notice she'd been crying. "I'll get you some more water," she told him as she slipped the now empty glass from his hand and hurried out of the room.

Once she reached the kitchen, she sucked in a deep breath and moved to the sink. Hastily, she splashed cold water on her face and then dried it off with a paper towel before refilling Priestly's glass and heading back to the bedroom.

Priestly studied her face as she handed him the glass of water. He frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she shrugged.

"That's crap, Tish, and you know it," he pointed out. "I need you to be honest with me."

Tish bit her lower lip and moved to the other side of the bed. She sat cross-legged next to Priestly and picked anxiously at the bedspread. "I'm not who you think I am, Priestly. Once you get to know me, the real me, you'll change your mind about having me as your girlfriend."

He frowned and reached for her hand, clasping it tightly in his. "Hey, I know you, and I'd never think that," Priestly insisted fervently.

"You will; my whole family thinks I'm worthless." She couldn't stop the sob that suddenly escaped without warning, nor the one that followed it.

"Hey," Priestly said sharply, "don't talk like that."

"Well, it's true," she sniffled as she allowed the green-eyed man next to her to pull her into a tight embrace, his fingers grasping her firmly.

"No, it's not, Tish," he murmured almost angrily into her hair. "There is no way I will ever think you are worthless. Whoever made you think that needs to take a long jump off a short pier." Priestly's cheeks were flushed red with anger this time, not fever.

Tish buried her face in his shoulder, soaking in his warmth and the feel of his arms around her. Her fingers gripped the soft cotton of his t-shirt as she tried to memorize how it felt to be held by Boaz Priestly. "I'm just scared, Priestly. You mean so much to me, and I don't want to ruin everything."

"Tish, if it doesn't work out between us, it will be because we aren't a good match." Priestly pulled back and tipped her chin to make her look at him. "You are worth more than gold, Tish. Always remember that, no matter what anyone tells you."

She nodded, her eyes filling with tears once again as she nestled back against Priestly's chest. His hand began to rhythmically stroke her tangled hair and she sniffled into his neck. She wasn't sure, but Tish thought she felt him press a tender kiss into her hair. Her eyelids began to feel heavy and she allowed herself to relax into Priestly's warmth.

A sudden cough that made his whole body shudder jarred her awake.

"Sorry," he gasped as he coughed and then blew his nose.

Tish sat back and wiped her eyes before glancing at the clock. "You're due for some more medicine," she told him. "I'll be right back."

"The medicine can wait, Tish," he croaked out as he reached out and gently clasped her forearm. "Talk to me."

She shook her head. "I don't know, Priestly." Silent tears tracked down her cheeks.

"Hey, I can't go anywhere. You have a captive audience," he joked.

Tish only managed a wobbly smile. She could tell Priestly wasn't going to let this go. "Okay," she finally sighed. "All right. I don't even know where to begin." She scrubbed a hand over her face and tried to organize her thoughts.

Priestly waited patiently, curious and worried as to what his girlfriend was about to tell him.

To Be Continued…


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: We do not own Ten Inch Hero.

Unwrapping Life

Chapter Eight

Written by LadyWallace

"So, I guess it all started a while ago," Tish began with a deep sigh, sitting up against the pillows on her bed, her hands worrying at the hem of her shirt. "See, I come from one of those perfect families. You know the ones. Perfect house, perfect jobs, perfect members of the community, and of course, perfect children. Except I wasn't." She caught Priestly's look of sympathy out of the corner of her eye. "I guess in reality I wasn't terrible, I was just average, and average wasn't okay with my parents." She couldn't help the bitterness that eked into her voice.

"So you decided to imbibe in a little teenage rebellion," Priestly said, a teasing note in his voice.

"Not at first, not really," Tish protested, then shrugged. "Okay, later, yeah. But I did try to be better, make them proud, but then I kind of wondered why I bothered being something I wasn't. I wasn't stupid, but I wasn't super smart either, and I didn't really care to go to college. Of course, my sister was everything my parents had ever hoped for in a child. And I guess my lack of ambition wasn't good enough for them."

"Ah, I see where this is going," Priestly said and turned onto his side to better look up at her, clutching a pillow to his chest.

"Yeah, she was…perfect," Tish said. "I mean, she's my sister, and I love her, but there's only so many times you can hear your parents compare you to your little sister and say, 'Platisha, Bettina is getting a scholarship to Harvard, what are you going to do?' or 'Platisha, try harder to be more like your sister. She's so successful and never gets into trouble like you'."

"Yikes," Priestly winced.

Tish bit her lip. "So I kind of…just gave up. I guess I figured that if I couldn't ever live up to their expectations, then I might as well be exactly who they thought I was. So I hardly tried at school, and just barely graduated…and…and then there were all the guys." She winced, blushing and finding it hard to look at Priestly when she mentioned her—many—past boyfriends. None of which would ever hold a candle to him. She found she became increasingly more embarrassed about her past flames the more she thought about it.

Priestly just stayed silent to allow her to continue. It wasn't like he didn't know about her continued stream of failed relationships that in truth hadn't really been relationships to begin with.

"And yeah, there were a lot of winners," she sighed wryly. "Some even worse than Tadd." She closed her eyes and tried to block out her more questionable activities in the past. "The worst part was that it didn't even really seem to bother my parents. They just seemed to accept it as inevitable. I know I just did it to look for attention, but I didn't even get that; it was like that was all they ever expected of me anyway, and I wasn't even worth of trouble of trying to fix." A pang went through her chest at those words—words she had never spoken aloud before, but knew to be true. "And I guess somewhere along the line, I just didn't even bother stopping because I think even I believed that was all I was good for." Her voice wavered as she smiled bitterly. "I guess there's only so many times someone can be called worthless before they start to believe it."

"Tish," Priestly said quietly and reached out, running a comforting hand along her thigh as she gathered herself to continue.

"Then I left home, and you know how I came to work at the Grill. And how I was still just as stupid as I ever was, even though I tried to tell myself it was a fresh start." She shrugged and wiped a hand across her nose. "I think maybe I was trying to find something with those guys to fill the hole inside of me, but in reality I was just digging it deeper." She looked over at him, tears in her eyes, as she met his green ones, full of pain at hearing her story. "Until…until I found you."

A smile broke over Priestly's face and he pulled her down to him, wrapping her in his arms as she sniffed and tried to keep more tears from falling. He kissed her forehead and pulled back, brushing the hair from her face.

"Tish, you are not worthless. Okay? Trust me on this one, from someone who knows exactly what you're going through, you are not worthless. At least not to me, and not to anyone else at the Grill either. We're your family, Tish; you don't need the people who called you worthless. You have great potential, if only you'll let yourself see it."

She wiped a hand across her eyes again. "You think so?"

Priestly looked deep into her eyes, holding her face between his hands. "I know so. Because I love you."

Tish smiled through her tears and clutched him tighter to her. "I love you too," she whispered. "I think you're my fresh start."

He grinned and then leaned closer and pressed his lips to hers, forgetting for the moment that he was sick. He just needed her to feel loved right then, and was determined to prove it to her.

Tish sighed against his mouth and deepened the kiss, bringing her hands up to run through his hair, and pulling it into more of a disarray than it already was. His hands wrapped around her slim waist as he rolled onto his back, pulling her on top of him, her body warm and flush against his.

Tish shivered with pleasure as Priestly pulled her against him, his body a comforting presence under her, steady and trustworthy, and she was suddenly very glad she had made up with him because missing any moment of time with him would have broken her apart.

She traced her hands over his chest as he continued to kiss her and then pushed her hands under his shirt, against his hot skin. She felt his stomach tremble against her fingers and he inhaled sharply, gripping her wrists before breaking the kiss.

"Tish," he said quietly and looked up at her almost sheepishly, his face flushed.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her stomach churning, as she feared maybe he had changed his mind. Maybe he didn't want her after all.

"I just…I think we should take this slow," Priestly said, hoping she wouldn't take that the wrong way. He just didn't want their relationship to be only about sex, and hoped she would understand that. "There's no reason to rush into things, we have all the time in the world." He smiled as he saw the relief cross her face and felt relieved himself.

"You're right," she told him before she slipped off of him and curled against his side instead.

"Are you okay with that?" he asked her hesitantly.

She smiled and kissed him again. "Of course. It's just…I'm not…" She didn't know how to state that she wasn't used to guys wanting more than to just get in her pants. It was refreshing, liberating almost, and made her feel, well, more like a person, and less like an object.

"I get it," Priestly told her reassuringly, sparing her having to explain. He stroked her hair behind her ear. "You are so much more than that, Tish. I want to make sure you know that, and I'm going to take all the time I need to convince you." She blushed but gave a genuine smile. "Besides," Priestly gave a flirty smile. "When we do make love, I don't want to be hacking up a lung."

She laughed and rested her head on his shoulder before brushing her lips lightly to the tattoo on the side of his neck. She loved watching the way he scrunched up his shoulder and smirked as it tickled. He wrapped his arm around her, and pulled her closer to him, suddenly overcome by a huge yawn.

Tish smiled teasingly, if not feeling a little guilty for keeping him awake so long. "You should sleep. You're still not over your flu and here I am telling you depressing personal stories."

"Hey," Priestly told her sincerely. "Thank you for telling me a little about you. I do appreciate it."

"I think we can call that even," Tish said sincerely, reaching up to stroke his stubbled jaw. "I know you had it so much worse than I did."

"I'm not so sure about that," Priestly told her honestly. "I may have lost my parents, but I never doubted they loved me. And yours seemed…well…" he trailed off, not really wanting to say anything exactly insulting about her parents, but he couldn't deny that he was angry for what they had put their daughter through.

"It's okay, Priestly, really," she told him and gave a small smile. "Like you said, I have a new family now. And I'm so much happier with this one."

He smiled back at her and kissed her forehead. "I'm glad. Now, I am about to pass out, so you can either join me, or go do whatever you need to do."

She caught the hopeful tone in his voice and simply pulled a blanket over both of them. "I'm not going anywhere, Renaissance Man," she said quietly.

"Okay, then," he grinned and then with a contented sigh, he closed his eyes and was asleep in a second.

Tish watched his face smooth out in sleep and felt the rise and fall of his chest under her hand—still with a slight congested rattle, but he seemed to be on the mend. She could not believe she was so lucky to have a man like Priestly. She vowed then that she would do everything in her power to keep him. No matter what.

To Be Continued…


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: We don't own Ten Inch Hero.

Unwrapping Life

Chapter 9 – Written by AnastaziaDanielle

Tish woke slowly, feeling Priestly shift beneath her as he tried to get comfortable. She heard his breathing speed up and knew he was awake. With a smile curving her lips, she nuzzled his neck and felt a shiver of excitement run down her spine as she realized that Priestly knew her history and all about her family and he hadn't run away.

Priestly experimentally cleared his throat, glad to find it felt a bit better, and ran a hand up and down Tish's slender back. She was warm and soft against him, her curves fitting just right against the hard planes of his body. He turned his head slightly so that he could press a kiss to her forehead.

Tish pushed up on her elbow and smiled down at him. Gently, she palmed his forehead to check for a fever before running her fingers through his hair. "How are you feeling?"

"A little better I think," Priestly answered honestly as his hand continued to smooth up and down her spine. The warmth of her skin felt so good beneath his fingertips. He cleared his throat and was relieved when it didn't erupt in searing pain.

"Good," Tish smiled as she leaned in for a soft kiss, her tongue tracing the contour of his shapely lips.

Priestly sighed happily against her mouth as his arm tugged her closer against him. Tish's warm lips melded against his, pressing firmly. Finally, he pulled back before either of them were tempted to deepen the kiss. He fully intended to show Tish how much she meant to him, and sleeping with her after their second date was not in the plan.

Tish sighed and traced his lips with her finger before lying back down and resting her head on his shoulder. "So, what do you want to do for date number three?" she asked as she draped her arm across his stomach.

"Hmmm," he thought out loud, "I think date number three should be right on your couch tonight with a movie and a pizza."

"Oh, you do?" Tish smiled as she poked Priestly's ribs playfully.

"Hey, no assaulting the injured guy here," he protested as he swatted her hand away.

She laughed. "I'll go call in a pizza." Tish pressed her lips to Priestly's one more time before pulling away and rolling out of bed. She padded barefoot into the living room and picked up her cellphone. She would call in their pizza and then help Priestly to the sofa. Warmth flowed through her at the thought of cuddling with her boyfriend and watching a movie. There was no pressure with Priestly now; she knew he wasn't expecting her to give him anything. He wanted to be with her because he liked her for who she was. The thought was liberating and exhilarating.

After calling in a supreme pizza with delivery promised in thirty minutes, Tish returned to the bedroom and helped Priestly sit up on the side of the bed.

He grunted as he shifted his bad ankle on the floor, but Tish was there to hand him his crutches. Secretly, Priestly relished the feel of Tish's strong, capable hands running along his arms and back.

"Take a minute if you need to," Tish cautioned, unable to keep herself from running her fingers through his hair. She loved having the freedom to touch him now; it was like a balm to her soul.

"I'm ready," Priestly told her as he positioned his crutches and used his arms to pull himself up. He was grateful for Tish's steadying presence at his side as she helped him maneuver his way into the living room. By the time he collapsed on the couch, he was sweating and felt shaky and weak. He hated that Tish was having to wait on him hand and foot; he wanted to be able to spoil her. Priestly promised himself that as soon as his ankle was better, he would find a way to give Tish the attention and care she deserved.

"I'll get us something to drink," Tish told him. "You close your eyes and rest a minute." She pressed a quick kiss to his forehead and hurried into the kitchen. When she returned a few minutes later with two sodas, Priestly was impatiently flipping through the channels on the television.

"There's nothing on," he grumbled. "Do you have any good movies and by good I mean no chick flicks?"

Tish laughed. "Yes, I have a few action movies." She searched in the cabinet under the TV and came up with three DVDs for Priestly to choose from. She had just put the movie into the DVD player when the doorbell rang.

Tish paid for the pizza over Priestly's protests that he wanted to pay and then joined him on the couch. She curled into his side and tucked her feet beneath her. "Turn on the movie," she instructed as she flipped open the pizza box, "and let's eat. I'm starved."

Tish ate two pieces of pizza and Priestly ate four before they shoved the box away and Tish once again snuggled into her boyfriend's side on the couch. "You're nice and warm," she told him as he slid an arm around her and pulled her close.

Priestly traced her jaw tenderly with a finger before tilting her face up so that he could look into her eyes. He watched as her lips parted and she moistened them with her tongue. Priestly felt as if an invisible force was pulling him toward her as he leaned in for a kiss. The tender moment was broken by the ringing of Tish's cell phone. Priestly muttered a curse under his breath and reached out to grab the remote and pause the movie.

Tish looked at the caller ID on her phone and grimaced. It was her mother. Jane Madison never called, not ever. Tish took a deep breath and answered the phone. "Hi, Mom."

"Platisha, I hope you are doing well."

"Mom, call me Tish. I've asked you over and over again not to call me Platisha," Tish sighed.

"Your father and I didn't name you Tish; we named you Platisha, and that is what I will call you." Jane Madison sniffed disapprovingly into the phone.

Tish bit back a groan and hoped to end this conversation with her mother as soon as possible. "How is Daddy?"

"Your father is fine, but busier than ever. I've had to force him to take a break so that we could celebrate with your sister."

"Oh?" Tish asked curiously. Despite the favoritism shown by her parents, she still got along well with her younger sister and was proud of Bettina for her accomplishments.

"Bettina got accepted into an exclusive program at the university, the first of its kind. Your father and I are so proud of her."

Tish winced. She knew what was coming next.

Priestly sensed his girlfriend's tension and rubbed his hand soothingly up and down her arm. Tish chewed on her lower lip and began to roll the bottom of her t-shirt with her free hand until Priestly grasped it and laced their fingers together. Tish gave him a grateful smile before concentrating on her mother once again.

Jane Madison continued speaking.

"I wish you'd go to college, Platisha. Your father and I always thought you'd be so much more than a waitress in a sandwich shop."

Tish closed her eyes and try to ignore the pain her mother's words caused her. "Mom, I'm happy with my life. I might go to college one day, but for now I'm happy with the way things are."

Jane sighed and plowed ahead. "Well, your father and I promised Bettina a trip in celebration of her success. She asked that we stop in and see you on our way out of the country. As hard as she's worked to get into this program, how could your father and I say no?"

Tish blinked back tears and fought to keep her voice steady. They were taking Bettina on a trip out of the country and all she got was a quick visit requested by her sister. Her parents didn't even care about coming to see her. "How long will you be staying?" she asked, breathing a sigh of relief when her voice remained steady.

"Oh, just a day," Jane replied. "And we are taking you out somewhere nice to eat, not that dumpy little sandwich shop."

"You've never even eaten there," Tish pointed out defensively. "You've never been here to visit me. I consider my coworkers at the Grill my family, and it's not dumpy!" She knew that compared to the places her parents usually ate, they would consider the grill less than satisfactory.

"Well maybe you fit in better with them than you do with us," Jane sniffed. "Goodness knows, I've remarked often enough how you're the black sheep of this family."

Tish wiped at the tears that streamed silently down her cheeks. "How can you say that about your daughter, Mom? I have a boyfriend and friends who love me for who I am. Why can't you guys love me for me?"

"You have a boyfriend?" Jane asked, ignoring Tish's question. "What does he do for a living?"

Tish squared her shoulders resolutely, knowing she would now have to gear up for an argument with her mother. "He works at the grill with me. Priestly is a great guy. He's compassionate and smart-"

Her mother cut her off. "Oh, Platisha, honey, couldn't you find someone better than that?"

"Mom, you don't even know him. How dare you judge him like that?" Where Tish had felt hurt before, now she was seething with anger. "He is an amazing man and the first one to like me for who I really am." She felt Priestly stiffen beside her when he realized her that she was discussing him with her mother, and she gave his hand a hard squeeze before lifting it and brushing his knuckles with a kiss.

"Now don't get your feathers all ruffled, dear," Jane sighed. "Our flight comes in on Friday at ten in the morning. We will be at gate seventeen C. I expect you to meet us there."

"I don't know if my car will be big enough for your luggage," Tish ground out through clenched teeth.

Jane sighed dramatically. "Fine, we'll get a cab and come to your apartment. I expect to meet this boyfriend of yours while I'm in California. See you then, Platisha. I have to run. I'm meeting your father for lunch."

There was silence on the other end of the line when her mother disconnected the call. Tish pulled the phone away from her ear and glared at it, dreading Friday's visit with her family. She tossed it onto the coffee table with a groan and flopped back against the couch. "What am I going to do, Priestly? My family is coming for a visit."

"I gathered that from your end of the conversation," he admitted as he studied his girlfriend's frowning face. "I'll make sure I stay well out of the way while they are here. I gather I'm not the kind of guy your parents want for their little girl."

Tish narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't you dare say that, Priestly! There's nothing wrong with you. My parents are so concerned with prestige and material things. They don't understand what's important. They can't see beyond the wrapping paper." Tish sighed and shoved her hair back from her face before she turned to face Priestly. "Not that there's anything wrong with how you look." Her eyes scanned his face and a soft smile curved her lips. "In fact," she leaned closer so that her breath brushed over his lips as she spoke, "I think tattoos and piercings are sexy." Her grin turned slightly devilish as Priestly's cheeks flushed a bright red.

Leaning forward, Tish caught Priestly's lips with hers and quickly deepened the kiss. Priestly's arms wrapped around her slender body and she found herself being tugged across his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers playing in his light brown hair.

Priestly pulled away with a groan and leaned his forehead against hers. "You're killing me, Tish," he panted, his breath fanning across her lips.

Tish was silent for a moment before she ghosted her lips over Priestly's once again. "I want you to meet my family, Priestly," she informed him, her fingertips tracing the planes of his face before moving to rub the pads of her thumbs over his bottom lip.

Priestly started and pulled back. "What? No, Tish, they don't want to meet me."

She frowned. "I want them to meet you. I'm proud of you, Priestly. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me." Tish leaned forward and kissed him tenderly before leaning away to look into his face. "And I want you to wear your piercings and your mohawk. I want you to be yourself; that's the man I fell in love with."

Priestly's breath caught in his throat at her words. Her eyes were open and honest as she gazed at him, her fingers caressing the sides of his face. "Tish, I love you," he managed to choke out before her lips were on his again.

"Don't let them make you think you aren't good enough, Boaz Priestly," she murmured when they finally broke apart for air. "They will certainly try, but remember that I am so proud of you and of being with you."

Priestly wrapped his arms around Tish and pulled her close, breathing deeply of her scent as she rested her head against his shoulder. His stomach fluttered with nerves as he thought about meeting her family. He'd certainly been judged enough in his life by Tad and Brad and many others like them. He'd had a lot of practice with letting hurtful words roll off of his back, but this would be different. This was Tish's family. He wanted them to like him, yet he knew going into this meeting that they would hate his guts.

"Stop it, Priestly," Tish admonished him, tapping his nose with the tip of her finger. "I can tell you're agonizing over things already."

Priestly sighed. "I feel like I'm walking in front of a firing squad, Tish," he admitted. "I'm not really sure if meeting your family is a good idea."

"Please, Priestly," she pleaded. "I was hoping you'd be there with me. I'm dreading this."

He sighed and brushed her dark hair back from her face. "Okay," he finally conceded, still not feeling any better about the idea. The smile that bloomed across Tish's face at his acquiescence, however, did help to soothe his nerves just a tiny bit.

"Let's finish our movie," Tish yawned as she reached for the remote and then snuggled back against her boyfriend, making no effort to move off of Priestly's lap. "We can figure out Friday later."

He wrapped his arms around her, but found it difficult to focus on the movie. Instead, he worried over meeting her family. By the time the movie ended and the credits were rolling across the screen, Priestly had decided that he needed advice. As soon as he could, he was going to call Trucker. Maybe his older and wiser friend could help him figure out how to win over Tish's overly judgmental parents.

Priestly looked down to find Tish asleep against him, her breathing slow and regular. He flicked off the television and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head before closing his eyes and trying to relax. Dread flooded him as he thought of Friday, but he tried to push the feeling away. All that mattered was that he was there to support Tish. She loved him for who he was, and her opinion was the only one that counted in his book.

To be continued…

Author's Note: Sorry this update took so long. Work has been crazy busy and very stressful. The delay was my fault. It took me forever to finish this chapter. I went to ATL Con and then couldn't get back on track. -AnastaziaDanielle


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: We do not own Ten Inch Hero.

Unwrapping Life

Chapter Ten – Written by LadyWallace

The next morning Priestly woke up earlier than he expected to, before Tish was even up. But then, he had been sleeping most of the last couple days, and Tish had been the one taking care of him, so it was good that she was getting some much needed sleep. He had sent her off to bed last night after their movie, as she looked like she would nod off any minute, and though he had wanted nothing more than for her to stay there in his arms, he knew it was better if she simply sleep comfortably in her own bed.

This morning, however, Priestly felt much refreshed. A world better than he had the day before. He still felt a little congested and had a tickle in the back of his throat, but his head wasn't nearly as fuzzy and his body no longer felt so heavy and achy. He tested out his ankle when he got up to use the restroom, and though it was still painful, he could hobble around on it—even though he should probably still be using the crutches.

After he had washed his face in cold refreshing water, he looked at himself in the mirror. His face was a bit pale and his eyes had dark circles under them, plus his chin had a couple days' worth of scruff on it. Overall, he looked pretty terrible, he thought with a short chuckle, running fingers through his major bedhead.

That made him think of Tish's admission the night before about how she wished he would bring back his old look. He smiled, so glad they had spent the last couple days really confiding in each other so that they were able to move past their awkward miscommunications to a real, deeper relationship.

Of course, that also brought to mind their new issue—meeting Tish's parents.

Priestly sighed and left the bathroom, checking to make sure Tish was still asleep before he grabbed his phone and called Trucker.

It took a few rings, but eventually the older man picked up. "Hey, Priestly, is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me, in the flesh," Priestly replied with a smile.

"It's good to hear from you, son. You didn't seem to be too well off when Tish called me the other night."

Priestly shrugged self-consciously. "I was down for the count, but I'm feeling better now. Hey, uh, I wanted to ask you something. What do you know about Tish's parents?"

"Honestly, she never really mentioned them before," Trucker replied thoughtfully, and not without some suspicion. "What's all this about?"

Priestly explained an abridged version of what Tish's parents were like and how her mom and called the night before to say they were coming to visit.

"She wants me to meet them, Truck," Priestly said, running a hand through his hair. "If they're that judgmental to their own daughter, then they're gonna hate me. I mean, I'm not exactly the kind of guy you want your parents to meet, you know? Would you let your daughter date me?"

Trucker chuckled slightly. "Priestly, you're a genuinely good guy—borderline gentleman, really—and that's saying something in this day and age. Just remember that and most importantly, be yourself. Don't try to be what you think they'd want."

Priestly sighed. "I'm just afraid I'll only make it worse for Tish. Maybe I should try to convince her it would be better that she just spend the day with them by herself."

"Now don't be like that, Priestly," Trucker told him firmly. "For better or worse, Tish wanted you there. You're that important to her that she doesn't care what her parents think. She will need you there for support, especially if they're the pieces of work you told me they are."

"Yeah, you're right," Priestly admitted.

"And remember, if you need anything, you know where your family is, both you and Tish. We'll be here for you."

Priestly smiled gratefully. "I know. Thanks, Trucker."

"No problem," the older man said before he hung up.

Priestly sat mulling over what Trucker had told him. Was being himself really the best thing to do? He was just afraid he would slip up and say something insulting, not to mention the fact that just having to play nice to these people after knowing how they had treated Tish all her life was going to be difficult to say the least.

The one thing he was sure of was that he was going to be there for Tish no matter what. And if he had to defend her, he wasn't going to worry too much about offending people. Tish would always come first in his book.

By the time Tish got up, Priestly had made pancake batter and was heating the griddle. He grinned at her as she sat at the kitchen table, a sleepy look in her eye.

"Hey, sleepyhead, want some breakfast?" he asked.

"Priestly, you really didn't have to do that. And shouldn't you be off that foot?" Tish admonished, but couldn't help a smile.

"Hey, you've been taking care of me for the past couple days, it's my turn to do something for you," he told her as he poured some batter into the pan. "And I'm not putting my weight on my foot either."

"How do you feel?" she asked anxiously.

"I feel much better today, honest," he assured her. "Now, what do you like on your pancakes?"

They ate breakfast together, chatting and laughing, just enjoying each other's company and obviously trying to keep off the subject that was looming over their heads. After they finished, Tish offered to clean up while Priestly went to take a shower. He felt a world better after washing the sickness off and he came back out with his duffle slung over his shoulder, setting it down by the door.

"I think I'll probably head back to my own place today," Priestly told his girlfriend as he went back to the kitchen and sat down to take the pressure off his ankle. "I think I've intruded enough."

Tish looked slightly disappointed. "You don't really have to go."

Priestly smiled. "I'm feeling better and can get around by myself, so there's no reason to stay, besides." He snagged his girlfriend around the waist and pulled her face downward to kiss her deeply, pulling back after a long moment to meet her eyes. "You're just too tempting to resist for too long, and we decided to take things slow."

Tish sighed but smiled, pressing her lips to his temple before pulling away to finish cleaning up the kitchen. "Alright then, I'll drive you back home in a little bit. Then I guess I should see if Trucker needs me to take a shift. We've been playing hooky from work for quite a while," she giggled.

"Yes, we have," Priestly chuckled, then sobered slightly, decided to broach the subject they had both been dancing around all morning. "Tish, I just want you to know that I promise to be there for you when your parents come. I'll have you back, okay?"

Tish's shoulders stiffened at the mention of her parents but she gave her boyfriend a genuine smile. "Thanks Priestly. It really means a lot to me."

"I can't promise I'll help your case any," the man warned.

Tish went over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "No, but you'll be there, and that's what matters." She kissed him again and then finally pulled away reluctantly. "I guess I should go get dressed so I can take you home. We can stop by the store to pick you up some food too, if you need."

Later that day when after Tish had made sure Priestly was settled in his own apartment and promised to stop by and check on him that night after she worked a few hours as the Grill, Priestly went to his bathroom and yanked open the bottom drawer of the vanity where he had thrown all his hair dye and stuff after he had changed his look for Tish. He was glad now that he hadn't thrown it all away like he had thought about before. He supposed he had been secretly hoping that whole time that Tish would want him for who he was after all, and that eventually he could go back to his old look. Now that he knew that was true, he felt a whole new love for the girl he had fallen for.

His hair was still a little short for a hawk but it would spike well enough and he chose some green dye from the basket and set to work, feeling better already.

The next few days passed agonizingly slow for Tish as she was anxious about the arrival of her family. Truthfully, she really did want to see her sister again, since they hadn't done more than talk on the phone since Tish had left home, she just wished her parents didn't have to come with the bargain.

Finally, though, the day arrived and Tish was waiting on pins and needles. Trucker had given her and Priestly both the day off work, even though Tish kind of wished for that moment that she had a job and a boss that insisted she had to work certain days. But she was tired of being a coward, and knew it was better to face her parents head on. Besides, she had her fantastic, loving boyfriend now to support her.

And just like that, Priestly was at her door first thing in the morning. She actually caught her breath as she opened the door and saw the old Priestly standing there, grinning. He looked a world different, and she could see the change in his attitude immediately. He was standing, hands in the pockets of his ripped jeans, slouched casually, a sarcastic t-shirt on under his jacket. And of course, he also had all his piercings back in place as well as the eyeliner and blue and green spiked hair to finish off the ensemble.

"Well? Is this enough to scare off the parents or what?" he asked as Tish closed the door behind him and instantly wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You look so hot right now," she told him.

Priestly flushed slightly, but looked pleased. "Well, good. Was afraid I got all dressed up for nothing."

Tish laughed and stood on her toes to kiss him, already feeling better, her stomach not quite so sick anymore. "Thanks so much for being with me today. I don't think I could do this without you."

Priestly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. "You and me against the world, baby."

He leaned down to kiss her again when Tish's phone rang. She groaned and pulled it from her pocket, answering it. "Hello?"

"Platisha, it's us," her mom's voice came over the phone. "We just left the airport and will be arriving at your place soon."

"Okay," Tish said, swallowing down her anxiety again. "I'll keep an eye out for you."

"See you soon," her mother said then hung up the phone without another word. Tish found her hand shaking as she shoved her phone back into her pocket and Priestly took it and folded it firmly into his hand.

"Hey, remember, I'm here for you," he told her, kissing her knuckles until she smiled. "My lady."

"There's my Renascence Man," Tish sighed and leaned against him, feeling his comforting warmth as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I just hope I can survive the day."

"You will," he assured her. "It's just a visit from the parents. What's the worse that could happen?"

Priestly pulled her into the kitchen and made some coffee, which they sat and drank as he tried to keep her upbeat while they waited.

Tish was just laughing at a story Priestly was telling when the doorbell rang and she froze.

"That would be them," she said like a condemned criminal off to the gallows.

"Well, you had best go introduce them to your new, super hot boyfriend," Priestly told her with a grin and took her hand.

Tish took a deep breath and went to open the door.

To Be Continued…

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and review. Happy Thanksgiving!


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: We do not own Ten Inch Hero.

Unwrapping Life

Chapter 11 – Written by AnastaziaDanielle

"Hello, Mother," Tish greeted Jane Madison calmly as her mother embraced her in a stiff hug. Jane hadn't changed much in her looks except for maybe a few more lines around her eyes. Her brown hair was dyed the same color it had always been and her clothing, an expensive name brand dress, was impeccable.

"Platisha, it's been a long time," Jane told her eldest daughter as she pulled back and let her eyes trace over Tish. "Those shorts are too short," she pointed out. "You are too provocative. Nothing good will ever come from dressing like that. You should dress more like your sister."

Tish heard Priestly grunt behind her and she pressed her foot down on top of his quickly to keep him from speaking out. A smile curved her lips when her father grinned down at her, but her joy was short-lived when her mother's harsh voice cut through the room.

"And just who, may I ask, are you?"

Tish turned and watched as her mother glared at Priestly with her hands planted on her hips. She stepped to Priestly's side and threaded her arm through his, leaning into his side. "Mother, this is my boyfriend that I was telling you about. This is Priestly. Priestly, this is my mother, Jane Madison."

"Wow, Tish! He's hot!" A younger, shorter woman who liked a lot like Tish slipped past Jane.

"Bee!" Tish squealed, letting go of Priestly to throw her arms around her younger sister. "I've missed you so much!"

Bettina squeezed her sister tightly and whispered, "You'd better not let Mother hear you call me that."

Jane Madison cleared her throat, and it was as if she'd heard her daughter's thoughts. "Platisha, my dear, you must call your sister Bettina. Bee is so common, and we are not common people." Jane shook her head and looked Priestly. "At least, Bettina and your father and I don't fall into that category."

Tish let go of her sister. "Mother, you don't even know Priestly yet; he's a perfect gentleman."

"I don't know of any gentlemen who dress like that and wear their hair in…in….spikes," Jane sputtered.

Priestly grinned. "When it gets a bit longer I'll be back to my mohawk."

Tish only sighed and finally greeted her father. "Hi, Daddy."

"Hello, Platisha. You are looking well," William Madison told his daughter.

Tish smiled up at her father. "So are you," she replied, relieved to see that her dad didn't look like he'd aged a bit. His brown hair, the same shade as his eldest daughter's, was only slightly sprinkled with gray. Only his eyes, so much like her own, were tired. Maybe it was good that he was having a break from work to travel with his youngest daughter.

He turned to Priestly. "I hear from my wife that my daughter has been dating you."

Priestly swallowed hard, but forced himself to remain calm. "Yes, sir," he replied as he accepted William's offer of a handshake. "Your daughter is amazing, Mr. Madison."

"I happen to think so, too," William grinned.

Priestly was surprised to see the warmth in the man's gaze after meeting the cold woman that was Tish's mother.

"And Priestly, this is my sister, Bettina," Tish slid her arm through her boyfriend's once again and gestured to her younger sister. "She's very smart and is doing the family proud by getting into this new college program."

"Hey, you're smart, too," Priestly told her as he pressed a quick kiss to her temple before greeting Bettina politely. "I'm glad to finally meet you, Bee," he grinned at Tish's younger sister and ignored the glare he could feel emanating from his girlfriend's mother. "Tish has talked about you a lot since we found out you were coming."

"Well, I certainly didn't know a thing about you," Bettina answered. "I need to get my sister alone for some girl time." She winked at both Tish and Priestly as Jane began to flutter around Tish's apartment, straightening the stack of fashion magazines on the table and fluffing the faded pillows on the old couch.

"Well, we made reservations at a restaurant across town." Jane smoothed her hands over her hair. "I just need to freshen up a bit. Where is your restroom, Platisha?"

"Down the hall and to the right, Mother," Tish sighed. "Daddy, Bee, feel free to have a seat and relax."

William Madison sunk down on the sofa with an exhausted sigh. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, reveling in the quiet of Tish's apartment.

Bee wandered around her sister's small residence with a smile on her face. "I love your place, Tish. It suits you."

Tish had finally relaxed once her mother left the room. Priestly stood next to her, his hand gently stroking the small of her back. "Can I get anyone something to drink?" he offered.

William snored softly from his place on the couch as if answering Priestly's question. Bettina giggled and then smirked at her sister. "I think Mother wore Daddy out. She has complained all morning. No thank you, Priestly. I'll have some wine at the restaurant."

"So, where are we going?" Tish asked hesitantly. She could only imagine the kind of place her mother had picked out.

Bettina shrugged. "Some place one of her socialite friends recommended. You know the type – expensive food, snooty waiters."

Tish groaned. "I'm so sorry, Priestly. I apologize in advance for whatever my mother says or the many ways she will find to insult you."

Priestly wrapped his arms around his girlfriend from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder. "I knew what I was in for when I agreed to be here today," he murmured against Tish's ear. "It will be okay. I think I'll survive."

Tish leaned back against him and rested her hands on top of his. "Thank you," she murmured, looking up into his green eyes.

"Aw, you guys are so cute together," Bettina grinned.

The bathroom door opened and Jane strode down the short hallway and into the living room. She had touched up her make-up and brushed her hair. "Well," she sighed as she noticed her husband dozing on the couch, "no use waking up your father until you've had time to change, Platisha."

"Change?" Tish asked in confusion.

"Well, yes, of course," Jane replied. "You can't go into a nice restaurant dressed like that."

Tish glanced down at her short kaki shorts that showed off her long, tan legs and her pale blue tank top.

"You look fine, babe," Priestly assured her, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek.

Jane glared at him. "I doubt they'll even let us in the door even if we tell them you are with us," she frowned. "It's a good thing we don't know anyone here in Santa Cruz. If we were seen with you at home, goodness knows what our friends would say."

"Mom!" Tish protested at the same time as Bettina uttered a horrified gasp. Tish turned to her boyfriend. "Priestly, don't listen to her."

He bit his lip and met Tish's gaze, mirth sparkling in his green eyes. "She's probably right," he admitted as he quirked an eyebrow at his girlfriend to let her know he was finding the humor in the situation instead of getting upset.

A smile curved Tish's lips when she realized that he was neither offended nor angry. As long as Tish accepted him for who he was, then he was able to tolerate her mom. "Mother, I'm not changing. Let's just go and enjoy our time together."

Jane sighed and threw her hands up in the air. "Platisha, I honestly don't know what to do with you anymore. You're never going to get anywhere in life with that attitude of yours. It's no wonder you work as a waitress in a sandwich shop." She shook her head. "Thank goodness I have your sister to give me hope."

Tish bit her lower lip and tried not to let her mother's angry words bother her. She waved her hand towards the door. "After you," she bit out as steadily as she could.

"Don't you dare listen to her," Priestly whispered to his girlfriend. "You are smart and sassy and amazing just by being who you are."

Tish glanced at Priestly, unable to stop the warm feeling his words stirred in her. She stood on tiptoe to press a quick kiss to his full lips before hurrying toward her car.

The drive to the restaurant was punctuated with Bettina's lively chatter from the backseat. Tish tried to ignore the stony silence from her mother who sat beside her in the passenger seat. William sat in the back with his younger daughter while Priestly followed in his own car. Tish's small compact car was just too tiny for everyone to fit comfortably.

The restaurant was just as posh and snooty as Tish knew it would be and her poor car looked horribly out of place amongst the others around it. They clambered out of her car, and Tish watched as her mother straightened her outfit and brushed out imaginary wrinkles. Her father rubbed his arm after climbing out of the backseat. Tish moved forward to link her arm through his. "I'm sorry my car is so small; you must have been cramped back there."

"No, no," William assured his eldest daughter. "I'm fine. Just the aches and pains of getting older."

Priestly joined them and Tish let go of her father's arm to slide her hand into her boyfriend's. She tossed him a smile of support and followed her sister toward the restaurant. "Let's do this," she murmured, feeling Priestly squeeze her hand tightly.

The restaurant's hostess greeted them at the door, an older woman in a well-tailored black outfit with every hair in place. Her eyes widened once she saw Priestly.

"I have reservations for five…..unfortunately," Jane Madison sighed, eyeing Priestly with disdain.

"Right this way, Ma'am," the hostess smiled, her gaze still lingering on Priestly. "We have a table prepared for you."

"This place is so uptight it's making me itch," Priestly murmured into his girlfriend's ear as they followed the hostess.

"I know," Tish sympathized. "I'd have much rather eaten at the grill. Food would have been better."

Tish bumped into someone and without looking said, "Oh, excuse me."

"Hey, Tish," a smooth voice purred.

Her eyes snapped up to the hard body she'd bumped into. "Brad," she grunted, "get out of my way."

"It's you who got in my way, Beautiful," he sneered. "Tad told me all about your last meeting. How he wiped the sidewalk with this pansy freak." He winked at Priestly while Tish's family and those seated around the aisle stopped to watch the drama play out.

"Platisha!" Jane hissed. "This is so lower class! Stop this at once!"

"You apparently didn't get the whole story," Tish ground out at Brad between clenched teeth as she pushed by him dragging Priestly with her.

"Who was that?" Bettina asked curiously as they finally arrived at their table.

"A bad memory," Tish sighed. Priestly held her chair for her like a true gentleman and she offered him a small smile. Then he moved and did the same for Bettina.

"More like a nightmare," Priestly snorted, ignoring the glare Jane sent his way.

Priestly examined the menu that was placed before him, his eyes widening at the high prices. There was no way he could afford this play on the salary he made at Beach City Grille. He felt Tish's hand on his arm and looked up at her, his eyes wide.

"Mother and Daddy are treating us today," she smiled at him reassuringly. "Get whatever you'd like." Seeming to sense his hesitance over the ritzy menu, she leaned against his arm and pointed out a few dishes that she recommended. "I think you will like either one of these," she murmured into his ear, letting her lips brush the shell and making him shiver.

A smile curved her lips when she realized the effect she was having on him and allowed her foot to brush against his under the table. Priestly shifted in his chair and groaned her name under his breath, making her bit back a smile as she turned her attention to her own menu.

Once everyone had ordered, Tish turned her attention to her sister. "So, Bettina, tell us about this program you got accepted into."

"They only had space for a few people," Jane bragged, pride shining in her eyes as she looked at her youngest. "Bettina surpassed one hundred other applicants to get the slot."

"Wow, that sounds impressive," Priestly told the young woman seated across from him.

Bettina opened her mouth to reply, but Jane beat her to it. "It certainly is impressive. At least one of my daughters has made me proud."

Priestly glanced at his girlfriend and saw the hurt slide across her features before she was able to mask it. "Mrs. Madison, Platisha is a hard worker and very smart. She's a loyal friend and thinks quickly on her feet. You should be very proud of her."

Before Jane could reply, Tish cut in as she watched her father pull a pill bottle out of his pocket. "Daddy, are you all right?"

"Just some indigestion from stress, Platisha. My doctor said it's nothing to worry about." William popped a pill into his mouth and swallowed it down with a sip of water from the glass by his plate.

The conversation was stilted after that. Bettina tried her best to keep it going, but Jane's acidic comments to Tish and Priestly dampened the atmosphere. In fact, Priestly couldn't figure out why the woman had made any effort to see her eldest daughter unless it was just to put her down and make her feel inferior.

He sighed with relief when the food arrived because then they all had something with which to occupy themselves. Priestly smiled down at his plate every time Tish's foot brushed against his leg or her hand found its way to his thigh to give it a gentle squeeze. At one point, he was sure his face was flushed and he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. She was trying to show her support for him, but her hands were having another effect on his body.

"If you'll excuse me," he finally choked out, "I need to find the restroom." Priestly hurried from the table and was relieved to finally reach the exquisite restroom located in the rear of the restaurant. He washed his hands and splashed cool water on his face. He waited a few minutes until he felt like he could return to the table.

As he approached his girlfriend's family, he noticed Bettina standing rigidly in the aisle a few feet from the table as if maybe on her way to the restroom, facing a smiling Brad. Priestly hurried his steps as Tish stood up to flank her sister.

To Be Continued…


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: We do not own Ten Inch Hero.

*This chapter was written by LadyWallace.

Unwrapping Life

Chapter Twelve

Tish watched Priestly leave for the restroom with no small amount of regret. Having him there was like a wall of protection, without which she wasn't sure she could put up with her family.

Bettina seemed to know exactly how she was feeling though because she put down her fork, and touched the back of Tish's hand. "I'm going to go freshen up,"—of course their mother always insisted they say it like that—"Come with me, Tish?"

"Sure," Tish replied gratefully and reached for her purse to join Bettina.

However, when she looked up at her sister who had started to move down the aisle toward the bathroom, she realized she had stopped because Brad was standing right in her path.

Tish was instantly on her feet, hurrying toward her sister. "Hey," she said, anger flaring up. "Get out of the way, Brad."

The blond man smirked, his eyes grazing Bettina from head to toe. "I don't mean any harm. I just couldn't help but notice that this young lady shares your looks, Tish. I'm gonna guess little sister?"

Tish glared at him. "Yes, now move. Come on, Bee."

She grabbed her sister's arm and tried to shove past Brad, when Bettina gasped and Tish felt her pulled backwards. She spun around to see Brad had grabbed her sister's arm.

"Let her go!" she demanded.

"I just want to talk," Brad said, still with his slimy smile. "Just see if she has a better temper than her sister."

"Hey, you heard her, let her go."

Tish looked up at the sound of the cold voice and was surprised and relieved to see Priestly there. His hand was wrapped none-too-gently around Brad's wrist, as the blond man still gripped Bettina's arm.

Brad sneered at Priestly. "What? You a hero all of a sudden, freak? How about we go out back and I make you for the coward you really are?"

"Yeah, sounds good," Priestly said, his voice level as he squeezed Brad's wrist harder. "If you can still make a fist."

Brad's face was starting to show his pain as Priestly kept squeezing. Tish's eyes widened and she could almost imagine she heard Brad's bones creaking. But finally Brad let go of Bettina and Tish pulled her sister back several steps, arms around her as she could feel Bettina shaking.

"It's okay, Bee," Tish told her.

"Now," Priestly said in a low voice, still keeping his grip on Brad. "You're gonna walk out of here and go to wherever you go, and if I ever see you around my girlfriend or any of her friends and family again, I will break your arm, and any other bones in your body I feel like." He shoved Brad hard and the other man stumbled, clutching his wrist against his chest as he glared back at Priestly. But he didn't say anything else either, nor did he look at Tish and Bettina. He just spun on his heel and ran off.

Priestly stepped over to Tish and Bettina then, putting a hand on each of their shoulders. "Hey, are you alright? Bee, did he hurt you?"

"N-no," she replied and Tish rubbed her back comfortingly. "I'm just a little shaken up. I'll be fine in a minute though."

"Thanks, Priestly," Tish whispered and reached out to clasp his hand. He gave hers a warm squeeze.

It was then that Tish's parents finally made their way over to them.

"What on earth was that all about?" Jane demanded, looking around as if worried that people were watching them.

"You alright, honey?" William asked Bettina, a worried furrow in his brow.

"I'm fine, Daddy, but it's a good thing Priestly was there," Bee said and smiled slightly at Tish's boyfriend. Tish squeezed his hand briefly, grateful to her sister for at least trying to gain their parents' respect for Priestly.

"Well, that encounter was positively mortifying. I've called for the check so we can leave," Jane hissed under her breath. "I cannot believe you would allow something like that to happen, Platisha."

Tish opened her mouth to protest but Priestly squeezed her hand and cut in. "Mrs. Madison, it wasn't Tish's fault. Brad's been giving her trouble for a while. He's just a…jerk."

Jane looked nonplussed, huffing slightly. "Well, Platisha, that's all that you can expect from a string of shady ex-boyfriends."

"Mother!" Bettina protested, looking shocked.

"Brad wasn't ever my boyfriend," Tish snapped, shuddering inwardly at the memory of the whole Tad and Brad fiasco. Priestly put his arm around her shoulders.

Jane straightened, looking around again. "This really isn't a place to have this conversation. I cannot believe we can't even take you out into civilized company, Platisha. You have become so common."

"Jane," Tish's father said quietly to calm his wife. "Why don't the rest of you go outside. I'll pay the bill."

Tish felt tears pricking her eyes as her mother pulled Bee from her side and hustled her out to the parking lot. Priestly bent to kiss the top of her head.

"Don't worry, I don't think you're common. And I promise to make this all up to you later."

Tish leaned against his side gratefully, wrapping an arm around his waist. "Thanks, Priestly."

As they headed toward the front of the restaurant, Tish saw her father up paying the bill and decided to wait for him inside, not wanting to be out there with just her mother.

"Thank you," William Madison said as he turned around and spotted Tish and Priestly. He smiled at them briefly, before he frowned, pressing a hand to his chest.

"Daddy?" Tish asked, stepping forward to go to him, leaving Priestly's side. "Are you okay?"

"I think I'll be okay in a minute, honey. Let's go collect your mother before she has a conniption." But even as he said that, he stumbled, grunting in pain. Tish grabbed his arm and Priestly was right next to her.

"Mr. Madison, maybe you should sit down," Priestly told him, worry in his eyes.

Jane and Bettina came back in then, probably to see what was taking them so long, but as soon as she saw her husband she frowned.

"William, what's wrong?"

"Daddy?" Bettina asked, hurrying behind her.

William suddenly cried out and collapsed. Tish and Priestly barely caught him before he hit the floor. The hostess from the restaurant hurried over to see if she could help.

"Someone call 911, I think he's having a heart attack!" Priestly yelled, and Tish felt her breath leave her body as all she could do was stare down at her father, knowing there was something she should be doing, but not able to remember what it was.

"William!" Jane said, actually kneeling on the floor beside her husband and taking his face between her hands. "He's not breathing!"

"An ambulance is on its way," the hostess said, then turned to the guests in the restaurant whose attention had been attracted by the commotion. "Are there any doctors in here?"

"Hold on," Priestly said and took Jane's arm, nudging her gently. "Move over. Please," he added and, stunned, she did as she was told.

Tish watched, holding Bettina tightly, as Priestly stretched her father out on the floor and started to perform CPR on him. She was instantly glad that her boyfriend was able to think more quickly on his feet than she was. A few months ago, Trucker had insisted they all learn CPR after a guest nearly choked to death, but right now Tish couldn't even remember what to do.

She heard the sirens before too long, and soon the paramedics were rushing into the restaurant with a gurney and took over from Priestly.

"How long have you been resuscitating him?" one of them asked.

"I got through two rounds," Priestly told him, sounding tired. He went to put his arm around Tish.

"We'll get him to the hospital, you do know where it is?" the paramedic asked as his teammates loaded William onto the stretcher.

"Yes," Priesly told him.

"I'll go with you, I'm his wife," Jane told the paramedic and he ushered her out into the ambulance.

"We'll follow," Priestly said as he turned to Tish and Bettina. "It'll be okay, come on."

"Thank you, Priestly," Tish said shakily. "I—I couldn't even remember what to do. I hope he's…"

"Hey," Priestly told her, and stopped briefly to take her face between his hands. "I'm sure your dad is gonna be just fine. But let's get to the hospital. Your mom is gonna need you two right now."

Tish nodded and pulled Bettina with her over to Priestly's car, knowing she wasn't fit to drive just then. She decided that once they got to the hospital, she would call the Grill and see if someone could pick her car up from the restaurant.

She got into the backseat with Bettina and Priestly drove the few miles to the hospital where they went in through the ER and found Tish's mother in the waiting room, looking flustered and frightened.

Tish and Bettina hurried over to her. "Mom? Is Daddy okay? Have you heard anything yet?" Bettina asked worriedly.

Jane shook her head. "No, they still haven't come to talk to me yet. I just…" She looked beside herself and Tish quickly took her arm and pulled her mother over to one of the chairs.

"Why don't you sit down, Mom? I'm sure they'll let us know what's going on soon."

Jane slumped into the chair and Bettina took up a seat beside her. Tish and Priestly sat on her other side and fell silent. Tish was worried about her father, it was horrible to not have seen him for so many years and then now he was in the hospital. But it was almost even odder to see her mother so distraught. Of course Tish had seen her mother flustered and being dramatic, especially toward her, but she didn't think she had ever seen her truly scared, and it made her more…human somehow.

Priestly reached over for Tish's hand and she turned to him with a grateful smile, placing her hand into his large palm. It was good to know she had someone so dependable in her life. Someone she could actually rely on to be there when she needed them. She knew for a fact that Tad never would have done that.

It seemed like an eternity before the doctor came out.

"Family of William Madison?" he asked.

"Yes," Jane said, as they all stood up. "Is my husband alright?"

The doctor smiled reassuringly at her. "His prognosis is good. He had a small heart attack, but from the x-rays we took, it seems to be the result of only a small blockage in the arteries so he should make a full recovery."

Jane breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank heavens."

The doctor turned to Priestly then. "Were you the one who gave him CPR?" he asked.

Priestly shifted beside Tish, slightly nervous. "Yes, sir."

"Well, I think you saved his life," The doctor told him sincerely. "It might have been a lot worse otherwise."

Tish looked up at her boyfriend who had a stunned look on his face and felt gratitude and pride sweep through her. She turned to the doctor. "When can we see my dad?"

"We're getting him situated, but once he's set up you can come and visit him for a few minutes. We'll keep him here for observation for a few days. I'll come get you when he's ready for visitors."

Relief washed over the group as the doctor left to see to his duties and Jane turned toward Tish and Priestly. Tish tightened her fingers around Priestly's hand.

"It's gonna be okay, Mom," Tish told her mother.

Jane nodded, taking a breath and managing somehow to compose herself again. "Yes." She turned to Priestly then, and for the first time actually looked him in the eye without disdain. "I believe I owe you an apology."

Priestly shook his head with a small smile. "No worries, Mrs. Madison."

"You saved my husband's life," Jane said firmly. "And you protected my daughter when that man was threatening her. I—I think I may have misjudged you."

Tish smiled at her mom as Jane reached out her hand and Priestly took it with a smile. "I think you're probably very good for Platisha."

"I think we're good for each other," Priestly told her sincerely. "You have a wonderful daughter, Mrs. Madison."

Jane looked at Tish and nodded slightly with a small, unpracticed smile. Tish felt her eyes prick with tears. That might have been the first time her mother had actually looked at her with something akin to pride. Perhaps it wasn't too late for her to gain her mother's admiration after all.

The End

*Thanks for reading! Epilogue to follow.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Ten Inch Hero does not belong to us.

Unwrapping Life

Epilogue

Tish sniffled and shivered as the warm breeze blew over her nearly bare bikini clad body. Though the air was a bit muggy, she still felt chilled.

"Are you cold?" Priestly asked in surprise as he exited his girlfriend's apartment to stand on the balcony outside. She had been quiet when they had gone to the beach earlier so he could get some surfing in before work. Despite being eager to learn how to surf, Tish had sat listlessly on the shore watching him catch the waves.

Tish allowed Priestly to wrap her in his arms and she burrowed into his warm, sun-kissed chest with a weary sigh as her nose nuzzled the underside of his jaw.

He frowned at the heat radiating off of her. "You have a fever."

She hummed in response. "Throat hurts."

"You got my cold," Priestly stated, "and you've been running yourself ragged sitting with your dad in the hospital."

Tish sniffled and sighed happily as Priestly's warm hands rubbed up and down her arms.

"Come on," he urged. "Let's go inside and get you taken care of."

Tish allowed herself to be led into her apartment where Priestly turned her toward her bedroom. "Go take a hot shower," he urged, "and I'll warm up some soup. That will help your throat."

"You're the best," she yawned as she managed a thankful smile at her boyfriend. Tish showered and dressed in a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt before shuffling back into her apartment's small living room. A smile curved her lips when she caught sight of the tissue box and blanket waiting for her on the couch.

"Lunch is served!" Priestly announced as he entered the room carefully balancing a bowl of soup and a mug of hot tea on a tray he had dug from the back of one of the kitchen cabinets.

Tish sneezed then curled up on one corner of the couch as she tucked the blanket over her lap. "Thanks, Priestly," she sniffled as she accepted the tray he placed in her lap.

"I called Trucker while you were in the shower and told him you wouldn't be in tonight," Priestly informed her as she took her first mouthful of soup.

Tish frowned up at him. "I can go to work," she protested just as a giant sneeze made her soup slosh out of the bowl.

Priestly winced. "People won't want you sneezing on their food. Besides, you need the rest. I'll come stay here with you tonight if you want. I'll sleep on the couch."

"You'd come stay with me?" Tish coughed, reaching for her mug of hot tea.

"Yeah, sure," Priestly assured her. "As soon as my shift is over. I'll even stop by the store and pick something up for supper."

Tish took one more bite of soup and made a face. "I'm not sure my stomach will be up for anything. I'm struggling with the soup."

Priestly frowned. "Maybe after some rest you will feel better."

"Maybe," she sneezed.

Priestly frowned. "I hate to leave you. Maybe I should call Trucker back and tell him that I'm staying home to take care of you."

Tish shook her head. "It's just a cold, Priestly. All I'm going to do is sleep while you're gone. Go to work and then when you get back tonight maybe we can watch a movie."

Priestly studied her face for a moment before he finally nodded. "All right, but you have to promise you'll call if you need me."

"I promise," she yawned as she handed him the tray with the half-finished bowl of soup and snuggled down under her blanket.

Priestly returned the items to the kitchen and checked the clock. It was time to leave for work. He checked on Tish one last time and was pleased to see that she seemed to be resting comfortably.

She cracked one eye open to stare at him blearily and he smiled before leaning over to press a kiss to her overly warm forehead. "Get some sleep," he instructed. "I love you."

Tish opened both eyes and gave him a soft smile. "I love you, too." She reached out and squeezed his hand. "Have a good shift, and I'll see you tonight."

Priestly reluctantly left and Tish tugged the blanket up over her shoulders. She was so cold. A sudden sneeze caught her by surprise and she grunted as she reached for a tissue and accidentally knocked the box to the floor. With a groan, she leaned over and tugged one from the box before blowing her nose and tossing the tissue haphazardly on the floor. "I hate getting sick," she grumbled before curling into a tight ball and closing her eyes as she hoped to sleep through this miserableness.

When Priestly returned to Tish's apartment after the grill closed at eight, he found the couch empty, but surrounded by balled up tissues. The kitchen, too, was empty, but then a series of violent coughs erupted from the bedroom down the hall. He frowned and hurried in that direction with the bag containing the cold medicine he'd bought in his hand.

He found his girlfriend splayed out miserably in the middle of the bed, clutching her stomach as she coughed so hard that she gagged.

"You sound terrible," he announced from the doorway.

She blinked at him blearily. "I feel terrible."

Priestly held up the bag he carried. "I picked up some cold medicine at the store."

"Gimme," Tish held out both hands for the bottle that Priestly produced from the bag.

He opened the box, broke the seal on the cap, and poured the recommended dosage into the little plastic cup that came with the medicine.

Tish took the tiny cup and swallowed the medicine, making a face at the nasty taste it left in her mouth. "Gross," she sputtered before she flopped back on the bed miserably and began rubbing her stomach.

"Does your stomach hurt?" Priestly asked as he toed off his shoes and sat on the edge of the bed to reach out and feel Tish's forehead.

"The muscles are sore from all of my coughing," she groaned as she turned her head to look at him. "Want to lie down with me? I promise not to breathe on you."

Priestly stretched out next to her on the bed. "You still feel warm; that fever is hanging on."

Tish began coughing once again and wrapped an arm around her stomach miserably. When the tickle in her throat finally subsided, she rested back on the bed with a moan and closed her eyes. She nearly jumped out of her skin when a large, warm hand rested on her belly over her t-shirt.

"Maybe this will help," Priestly murmured. "Close your eyes."

Tish did as he instructed and found that the circular motion of his hand against her belly was relaxing. Her eyes popped open with a start as she felt Priestly's hand touch her bare skin when her t-shirt rose above her belly button.

"Is this all right?" he asked softly, pulling his hand back until Tish nodded at him with a small smile.

Priestly resumed the circular rubbing motion on her tummy, the feel of her warm skin beneath his hand making his heart rate speed up.

"How did I get so lucky to find you, Priestly?" Tish murmured sleepily.

"I keep asking myself that question about you," her boyfriend admitted as he pulled his hand back. Tish groaned at the loss of contact. Reaching out, Priestly brushed her hair back from her eyes tenderly.

"Will you hold me?" she asked with a sniffle. "I'm cold."

He smiled. "Come here."

Tish scooted across the bed and settled against Priestly's chest with a happy sigh. She hummed her approval as his arm wrapped around her and began to rub her back. "Love you, Priestly," she yawned.

"Love you, too," he replied as he placed a kiss on her still-warm forehead. Priestly felt like pinching himself. He had the girl of his dreams in his arms and she actually loved him.

"I feel like this is all a dream," Tish murmured, half asleep.

"What do you mean?" Priestly asked, his brow scrunching up in confusion.

"I'm in your arms and you love me," she replied.

Priestly huffed a laugh. "I was thinking the same thing except I'm the lucky one because you love me."

Tish sniffled and then tightened the arm she had slung across his stomach. "G'night, Priestly. I want you to teach me how to surf tomorrow."

"Only if your fever is gone," he cautioned her. "Now go to sleep."

Priestly stayed awake until his girlfriend's breathing evened out and she was snoring with congestion against his shoulder. "I'm the luckiest man in the world ," he whispered to Tish before placing a kiss in her sweaty dark hair and closing his eyes to join her in slumber.

The End


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